Smoke alarms are sounding the charge for an amazing shift in attitudes to fire safety amongst New Zealanders.

And the Fire Service is delighted.

“Time and time again lives and homes are being saved because smoke alarms are up and working”, says Auckland fire chief Larry Cocker.

February 20: Neighbours hear a smoke alarm in an One Tree Hill home and call 111. Her actions save the house from being badly damaged, perhaps destroyed.

February 26: Neighbours hear a smoke alarm in a Mt Wellington Road house and call 111. Firefighters rescue the occupant. They believe the smoke alarm and the neighbours saved that person’s life.

March 9: Smoke alarms wake a family of four in Kaingaroa Village as a fire which began from a wood burner grows through the wall cavity. The family evacuates safely and calls 111.

Firefighters could not be more pleased with success stories such as these, particularly on the eve of the end of daylight saving (March 19) when everyone is encouraged to check their smoke alarms, says Larry.

“People are not only installing smoke alarms, they know to evacuate and ring 111 from a safe place and ask for fire. These examples prove that the simple measures we have been preaching for years do save lives, and do save homes and do save the things most precious to people.”

Each year since 2002, 1,000 house fires have been successfully detected by smoke alarms, and two-thirds of these fires controlled without any damage to the house

“Facts like these speak for themselves. Install smoke alarms, get out and stay out and call 111 from a safe place.”