Smoke alarms are not a ''nice-to-have'' but a vital piece of safety equipment for the home, the Fire Service says.
Far too many homes had no smoke alarms installed, or not in working order, and the public should use the end of daylight saving to check or install smoke alarms, East Otago Fire District Fire Risk Management Officer Barry Gibson said.
People don't smell smoke when asleep, and it was often smoke and toxic fumes that killed people. A smoke alarm provided an early warning, so occupants could escape safely.
Mr Gibson said smoke alarms were not ''nice-to-have'' items.
''Time and time again firefighters attend fires where there are no smoke alarms, smoke alarms sitting unopened in a cupboard or smoke alarms with no batteries in them.
''The NZ Fire Service recommends that you have good working smoke alarms in all bedrooms, living areas and hallways as well as on each level.
Smoke alarms had to be checked to make sure they had good batteries and were in working order, and he recommended using a vacuum cleaner to remove dust from the alarms, he said.
When people changed their clocks at the end of daylight saving, they should check their smoke alarms to make sure they were working.
''If you don't have good smoke alarm coverage in your home, we recommend that you go out and get them now,'' he said.
