❓ Hon. Sally Talbot questions the Minister for Emergency Services regarding chimney fires in the South West, including frequency, education efforts, and concerns about improper installations. The response details fire statistics, educational resources, and lack of reported incidents related to installation errors.
AnsweredQoN 871Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF FIRE
AND EMERGENCY SERVICES — UNCLEAN CHIMNEY FIRES
871. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
Attorney General representing the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to an article in the Busselton–Dunsborough Mail on 13 August titled ''Department
calls for chimney clean''.
(1) How many
fires caused by unclean chimneys has the department attended in the south west
over the winter period?
(2) What is
the department doing to educate the community about the danger of ash and soot
build-up in chimneys?
(3) Is the
minister aware of the claim that fireplaces and chimneys have been incorrectly
installed by unqualified installers?
(4) What is
the extent of this problem and what is the government doing to reduce the risks
of fire?
AND EMERGENCY SERVICES — UNCLEAN CHIMNEY FIRES
871. Hon SALLY TALBOT to the
Attorney General representing the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to an article in the Busselton–Dunsborough Mail on 13 August titled ''Department
calls for chimney clean''.
(1) How many
fires caused by unclean chimneys has the department attended in the south west
over the winter period?
(2) What is
the department doing to educate the community about the danger of ash and soot
build-up in chimneys?
(3) Is the
minister aware of the claim that fireplaces and chimneys have been incorrectly
installed by unqualified installers?
(4) What is
the extent of this problem and what is the government doing to reduce the risks
of fire?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question. On behalf of the Attorney General, the Department of Fire and
Emergency Services advises —
(1) Between 1
April 2014 and 20 August 2014 the Department of Fire and Emergency Services
attended a total of 17 chimney/flue fires in the south west and lower south
west regions. Of these, 11 were identified as being caused by unclean or
improperly maintained chimneys/flues.
(2) DFES includes
a section on chimney maintenance in its publication ''Fire Safety in
Your Home'' and maintains a ''Chimneys and Flues'' page on
its website.
(3) DFES advises
that its fire investigation analysis unit has received no reports of fires as a
result of incorrectly constructed fireplaces or chimneys.
(4) Each year,
DFES implements a home fire safety campaign that provides support to
firefighters to deliver home fire safety messages within their local community.
The ''Fire Safety in Your Home'' publication is the key document
that supports this work. ''Chimney and Flue Fires'' is one of the
12 home fire safety messages included.
question. On behalf of the Attorney General, the Department of Fire and
Emergency Services advises —
(1) Between 1
April 2014 and 20 August 2014 the Department of Fire and Emergency Services
attended a total of 17 chimney/flue fires in the south west and lower south
west regions. Of these, 11 were identified as being caused by unclean or
improperly maintained chimneys/flues.
(2) DFES includes
a section on chimney maintenance in its publication ''Fire Safety in
Your Home'' and maintains a ''Chimneys and Flues'' page on
its website.
(3) DFES advises
that its fire investigation analysis unit has received no reports of fires as a
result of incorrectly constructed fireplaces or chimneys.
(4) Each year,
DFES implements a home fire safety campaign that provides support to
firefighters to deliver home fire safety messages within their local community.
The ''Fire Safety in Your Home'' publication is the key document
that supports this work. ''Chimney and Flue Fires'' is one of the
12 home fire safety messages included.
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