Fifteen percent of Queensland households do not have operational smoke alarms installed, according to new research conducted by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) and obtained by Smoke Alarm Solutions.
Additionally, 21% of households in Far Northern Queensland do not have operational smoke alarms, compared to 18% in Central Queensland and 13% in Brisbane.
The size of a home also impacts the likelihood of having smoke alarms, with less than half (46%) of households with three or more levels having a fitted smoke alarm on each floor. This figure decreases to 16% for two-storey houses and 3% for single-storey houses.
QFES’s data also found that smoke alarms are most commonly placed in hallways (74%) and living areas (50%).
Rather worryingly, only 20% of QLD households have a smoke alarm installed in the main bedroom, despite new legislation specifying that all QLD properties must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in all bedrooms by January 2022 in rental properties, and in all owner-occupied properties by January 2027.
Nine percent of QLD households do not know when their smoke alarms were last tested, and 4% said their smoke alarms have never been trialled.
Cameron Davis, CEO of Smoke Alarm Solutions, said the QFES research proves that Queenslanders are indifferent to fire safety.
“Working smoke alarms should be in every home, but 15 per cent of Queenslanders are playing Russian roulette with their safety and the lives of their family and friends,” he said.
“Nobody thinks it’ll happen to them, but 160 Queensland families will be the victim of a house fire this month. Families and landlords have a responsibility to ensure their properties are safe. There is no better investment than an up-to-date and working smoke alarm.”
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