Smoke Alarms Save Lives

It's time to ensure your smoke alarms are compliant - the life you save may be yours. 

Property owners, specifically Landlords, should be aware of the changes to smoke alarm laws and the penalties if these laws are not followed. But for those who haven’t heard, its time to take note.

In August 2011, a horrific house fire devastated the extended family of 11 Slacks Creek residents. Three women, four teenagers and four children under the age of 10 from two families were killed when flames engulfed a two-storey home on Wagensveldt Street shortly after midnight. Flames engulfed the house quickly, and while three men escaped, they lost loved ones who were ruled to have been overcome with smoke in the dark of night. The coronial report found there were two smoke alarms in the upstairs level of the house, but neither were working. Because of this tragedy, new smoke alarms laws are coming into effect for Queensland property owners andit's important these are followed not just to avoid a fine, but also to save lives.

From January 1, 2022, whenever a new lease is entered into or a lease is renewed, you must ensure your dwelling/unit meets the requirements set out in the domestic smoke alarm legislation. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to make sure you have installed the interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms into each bedroom or your property, as well as at the top and bottom of stairways that connect the storeys and levels of the dwelling (egress paths between storeys). To understand these laws in more detail, please visit our friends at Complied Australia’s webpage here.

For our home owners who reside in their property, you have a little more time to make these changes, with the laws not coming into effect until January 1, 2027. But why wait? Working smoke alarms are so important, it has been proven time and time again that smoke alarms save lives. Please, contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote to make sure your home is compliant. We can also complete a free electrical safety check to ensure your home is safe.

If you have any questions specific to the legislation, you can contact QFES direct on smokealarms@qfes.qld.gov.au