ACT Fire Brigade, together with Duracell, are urging all ACT residents to change their smoke alarm batteries when they change their clocks back at the end of Daylight Saving on Sunday, April 3.

Each year more than 50 families across Australia lose a loved one as a direct result of a house fire, with the majority of deaths occurring between 9pm and 6am when the household is asleep. During sleep the vast majority of people do not register the smell of smoke – in fact during the deeper cycles of sleep they don’t register smells at all.

Smoke alarms are essential to wake people if a fire breaks out; they give household members an early warning and time to evacuate safely – but only if they work.

“When asleep our sense of smell is greatly diminished. When we enter the deeper stages of the REM sleep cycle, our brain dramatically slows in receiving input from the olfactory nerves (our sense of smell) which is why people don’t wake to the smell of a burning fire,” said sleep scientist Chris Bunney of Home Sleep Studies Australia.

“When asleep, we may not smell smoke but we will hear a smoke alarm. A working smoke alarm can literally mean the difference between life and death,” added Bunney.

Fire authorities recommend the use of photo electric smoke alarms and say that not changing your battery and failing to maintain your smoke alarm can be just as deadly as not having one at all.

ACT Fire Brigade Chief Officer Paul Swain says: “I see devastating house fires every year. In fact, one in five Australians experience a house fire. Sadly, not everyone gets out safely. In some cases this is due to smoke alarms not working properly as they have been disconnected or have a flat battery. Worse still, some homes don’t have a smoke alarm installed at all.

“Only working smoke alarms help to save lives, so we strongly encourage all ACT households to use the end of Daylight Saving as a reminder to change their clock and change their smoke alarm batteries. We recommend using high quality, long-lasting 9V alkaline batteries such as Duracell to ensure year round protection.

“All homes, whether permanent or holiday, need to be equipped with fully functioning smoke alarms – this includes caravans and cabins. Maintaining alarms and replacing batteries is also essential, particularly at properties that are not primary residences.

“It is especially important to replace batteries now as we move into the winter months, because the increase in usage of heaters and other electrical equipment leads to more house fires. Together with Duracell, the Fires Services message is simple; Only Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives.”

ACT Fire Brigade recommends you to:
•Test your smoke alarm once per month to ensure the battery and the alarm sounder are operating and clean with a vacuum cleaner annually to remove particles that will affect smoke alarm performance
•Replace the battery annually with a long-lasting Duracell alkaline battery
•Install smoke alarms in positions that will wake all occupants in the home and give them time to evacuate. For example, installing the alarms outside each sleeping area, with additional smoke alarms installed inside bedrooms where doors are closed at night and along evacuation routes if bedrooms are located upstairs.

Smoke alarms are designed to protect you while you are sleeping. Visit www.changeyourbattery.com.au or your local fire service authority for more information on where to place smoke alarms in your home.

In 2010, ACT Fire Brigade attended nearly 165 household fires in ACT.

The Change Your Smoke Alarm Battery campaign is supported by Duracell.

The Australian Childhood Foundation together with Barnardos are running a new initiative in the ACT, in light of the increasingly complex needs of abused and traumatised children and young people requiring out of home care.

On Track ACT, a specialised therapeutic foster care program, is the first initiative of its kind to run in Canberra and according to Australian Childhood Foundation CEO, Dr Joe Tucci, “it can turn the lives of children around”.

“Children and young people traumatised by abuse and neglect need specialised support and care to assist them to recover from the devastating effects of what they have experienced.”

The program aims to provide foster carers with knowledge to better understand traumatised children and the skills to help them provide a home environment and approach to parenting that is sensitive to their abusive pasts.

“We have been running similar programs in other states for more than 10 years and have seen the amazing difference that such programs can make in the lives of children that many had given up on.”

A child or young person in ‘On Track ACT’ must be subject to a court order, be aged between 8-14 years, exhibit a range of complex needs or challenging behaviours, have a history of placement instability and require a long term placement with no plans for restoration.

People interested in joining the program as foster carers can help to make a significant difference in the lives of abused and traumatised children according to Dr Tucci.

“There are so many traumatised children in the ACT waiting for families who are able to understand them and respond to their needs in a way that helps undo the harm caused to them by abuse and neglect”

Foster Carers who join the On Track program become part of a ‘care team’, who meet regularly to ensure both they and child are receiving all the support they need.

“With training and support, carers are able to create a healing environment at home in the way they understand, care for and parent the child.”

Referrals to ‘On Track ACT’ are made via the Office for Children Youth and Family Support Placement Review Committee. Once deemed eligible, On Track ACT will commence placement linking.

To become an ‘On Track’ carer, or to find out further information, contact Shannon Bradbury from Barnardos on 02 6228 9500 or [email protected].

The program is delivered in partnership by the Australian Childhood Foundation and Barnardos and is funded by the ACT government.

With debate running high over Ju-liar Gillards Carbon Tax. There is an opportunity for those of us who see it as another knife in the back of Aussies from a Government determined to bring our great Nation down to show some solidarity by attending rallies in all Capital cities culminating with a rally at Parliament House Canberra on Wednesday 23rd March at 12 noon. Further details of the rallies and an electronic petition to sign are available at http://www.stopgillardscarbontax.com/.

I believe this tax will completely destroy our last industries. When Labors Keating gave us the level playing field in manufacturing he brought our great Nation to its knees by destroying the industry here. No other Nations play by that level playing field .This Carbon tax will do likewise by putting the boot into all of our few remaining industries while no other countries will follow.

This is a time where Aussies need to care enough to unite to save any resemblance of the great country we grew up in before Gillards Government does anymore damage and we become even bigger importers of food and coal.And here was me thinking we would feed the world.

We often ask what can one man do? Here is your chance you can sign the petition and attend one of the Rallies in State Capitals or Canberra on Wednesday 23rd March

Jeff Rudd