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by email: innovation@planning.nsw.gov.au
Thank you for the World Fire Safety Foundationʼs invitation to make a submission
regarding to the draft regulation detailed above. We are making this submission with
regards to the requirements for the installation of smoke alarms in moveable dwellings
(details of the submission are on page 3)
There are two types of smoke alarms, ionization and photoelectric. Ionization smoke
alarms are installed in almost all Australian homes.
In April 2004, Australian Standard 1670.1 mandated photoelectric detection in all sleeping
areas and exit paths in all new commercial buildings to which the standard applies.
In June, 2006 the Australasian Fire & Emergency Service Authorities Council released a
report stating, “That all residential accommodation be fitted with photoelectric smoke
alarms” AFAC warned, “Ionization smoke alarms may not operate in time to alert
occupants early enough to escape from smouldering fires.” www.theWFSF.org/afac
In August 2006, Mr David Isaac from Standards Australia Committee FP2 stated in the film,
ʻThe Wheels of Australian Bureaucracyʼ, “The public have been mislead into believing that
ionization smoke alarms are safe.” www.theWFSF.org/sa
CBS declared ionization smoke alarms “deadly” in 2010, www.theWFSF.org/cbs
A proposed class action lawsuit against the worlds four largest smoke alarm manufacturers
explains why ionization smoke alarms are “deadly”. www.theWFSF.org/classaction
The Foundationʼs latest report, “Why are the Public, Fire Fighters and Fire Industry
Personnel STILL Not Being Told the Truth about Smoke Alarms?ʼ details Australiaʼs flawed
Smoke Alarm Standard (see page 7).
Please examine information regarding Duty of Care issues with ionization smoke alarms:
www.theWFSF.org/afac2
AUSTRALIA Moveable homes are especially susceptible to deadly fires due to their light construction.
23 Ocean Grove Given empirical CSIRO data provides compelling evidence that ionization alarms are not fit
Currumbin, QLD 4223 for purpose, the World Fire Safety Foundation respectfully requests the NSW Department
AUSTRALIA
of Planning mandate photoelectric smoke alarms in all moveable NSW homes.
P +61 (0) 409 782 166
E ab@TheWFSF.org Please advise the departments decision.
CANADA Thank you once again for the opportunity to make this submission.
Emergency Mgmnt Office
Fanshaw College, Ontario
CANADA N5Y 5R6 Sincerely,
P +1 519 452 4430 ext 2948
F +1 519 451 0513
E sc@TheWFSF.org
UNITED STATES
PO Box 196
Citrus Heights Adrian Butler
CA 95611-0196 The World Fire Safety Foundation
USA Chairman, former full-time fire fighter
P +1 916 721 7700
E rp@TheWFSF.org P.S. Please check breaking US news mandating photoelectric smoke alarms at: www.theWFSF.org/sfc
David Isaac
Copyright 2010 The World Fire Safety Foundation | First Published: October, 2010
T
But is this true? he Australasian Fire inhalation before the flames
MYTH BUSTED and Emergency reached them.
In the mid-70's less than 15%
Service Authorities
So, after in-depth research,
of homes had smoke alarms Council (AFAC) is the peak
A FA C s t a t e s t h a t t h e
and for every 1,000 home fires body for all Australian and
there were 8 fire deaths. ionization type of smoke
New Zealand Fire Brigades.
alarm, the type of alarm
In 2005, thirty years later, 95% A FA C r e l e a s e d t h e i r
of homes had smoke alarms found in almost every
landmark Position on Smoke
and for every 1,000 home fires Australasian home, may not
there are STILL 8 fire deaths. Alarms in Residential
alarm early enough in the
Accommodation document
Today with over 95% of homes type of fire most likely to kill.
having smoke alarms, there on 01 June, 2006.
are just as many fire deaths THE DECEPTION
per 1,000 home fires as there THE PROBLEM
Think about it, this is a
were when only 15% of homes In their official position
had smoke alarms. device you buy to do one
statement AFAC warns that
thing and one thing only -
Evidence shows we now have “Ionization smoke alarms
half the fire deaths because detect smoke. Ye t i t
may not operate in time to
the number of home fires has frequently fails to do that, so
alert occupants early
dropped in half (due to less frequently in fact that
cooking, less smoking, safer
enough to escape from
evidence held by the CSIRO
electrical appliances, flame smouldering fires.”
retardants materials etc).
shows it may fail to warn you
Thatʼs a very serious when you need it most.
So why is the ionization alarm
(the type in almost every home)
statement. Especially when
hailed as such a success when one considers that in over THE BIG LIES: #1
the number of deaths per 70% of fire deaths the “But Iʼm OK, my Alarm goes
thousand home fires has not victims died from smoke off when I Burn the Toast.”
changed?
TRUTH BE TOLD
Although hit and miss, across
the ditch in New Zealand the
Fire Service has at least made
a start.
Tragically almost everyone villagers in the story about The trouble is, if there really
thinks theyʼre OK because the boy who cried wolf, when is a fire, the delay could
when you cook toast, or we are subjected to so many mean the difference between
open the door to a hot oven, false alarms, we too become life, being maimed, injured or
your smoke alarm may complacent. killed.
sound. So, surely you must TIME IS RUNNING OUT DEATHLY SILENCE
be OK, right? The alarm goes off at night, Despite the fact ionisation
Wrong! One of the worst you get an elbow in the ribs alarms false alarm so
from your partner telling you frequently, when you need
things about ionization
smoke alarms is they lull itʼs your job to check why the them most, they may remain
alarm is going off again. deathly silent. Why?
people into a false sense of
security. This problem is so bad that a Because ionization smoke
Cry “Wolf!” Harris Interactive poll found alarms do not detect visible
that only 8% of people smoke, instead they detect
The ionization smoke alarm
surveyed thought that their sub-micron particles of
is like the little boy in the
smoke alarm going off meant combustion - exactly what
childrenʼs story who cried
there was a fire or they had you get when cooking toast.
wolf. They false alarm so
frequently that studies show to get out. continued page 5 . . .
that 20%-30% of us either
disable the alarm, remove One of the worst things
the battery or choose not to about ionization smoke
replace the battery when flat.
alarms is they lull
And as if thatʼs not bad
enough, it gets even worse.
people into a false sense
Because just like the of security.
NSWDeptOfPlanningSubmission05Nov10V1.1.pdf | Version 1.1 - Check for latest version at: www.scribd.com/doc/41132442 6 of 10
Smoke Alarm Report - October, 2010 | The World Fire Safety Foundation
Discover how:
a) Standards Australiaʼs FP-002 committee formally acknowledged Australiaʼs existing Smoke Alarm Standard
(AS3786 - 1993) is flawed because the existing testing allowing them to pass has now been deemed invalid.
b) Standards Australia rewrote AS3786 and eliminated the flawed (MIC ʻXʼ) testing.
c) CSIRO test data since 1993 shows that under the corrected, draft smoke alarm standard ionization smoke alarms
will fail the existing, valid smoke test.
w w w. t h e W F S F. o r g / s a
NSWDeptOfPlanningSubmission05Nov10V1.1.pdf | Version 1.1 - Check for latest version at: www.scribd.com/doc/41132442 7 of 10
Smoke Alarm Report - October, 2010 | The World Fire Safety Foundation
THE BIG LIES: #2 And isnʼt this hypocritical of The BIG LIES: #3
“Any Smoke Alarm is Better the fire service and other “Thereʼs 3 Causes of Fire:
than No Smoke Alarm.” authorities to criticise people Men, Women & Children.”
Of course, on the surface for disconnecting their alarm One line that the fire services
this argument sounds and for being complacent? and other authorities like to
reasonable - but does it have trot out is that there are three
any integrity? BIG NUMBERS
causes of fire: men, women
After all, we arenʼt talking
As weʼve already and children.
about 2% - 3% of people
discovered:
who disconnect their smoke Well, there are three causes
20% - 30% of us have detectors because of false that still allow the ionization
disabled our alarms; alarms, we are talking about smoke alarm to still be
92% of us donʼt react 20% - 30% - thatʼs a pretty marketed: bureaucrats, pencil
quickly to an alarm big chunk of the population. pushers, and politicians - all
because we think: “itʼs of whom are more interested
And it is a staggering 92% of
probably just another false in covering their backsides
people who, due to those
alarm”; and than they are in getting the
frequent false alarms, are
truth to the public.
in the type of fire that complacent. Ninety-two
accounts for more than percent! They would rather put the
70% of fire deaths, the blame back on you - on the
alarm may not sound in WHEN WILL THEY LEARN? men, women, and children -
time anyway. How big do the bureaucrats rather than admit they got it
So, knowing that, is it any need those numbers to be wrong.
wonder CBS Atlanta recently before they get the
message: the problem isnʼt They would rather point the
declared ionization type
the people, itʼs the product! finger at you than admit they
smoke alarms as “Deadly”?
were duped by clever cons photoelectric smoke alarms, NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE
and deceptive advertising as their official position. However, fence sitting is
cooked up by ionization simply not good enough.
Yet, even so, so far as the
smoke alarm manufacturers. Having admitted the problem
public is concerned the
CHANGING TIDE authorities continue to sit on with ionization type smoke
the fence, afraid of the alarms, it is now time for fire
In the early days of our
damage to their reputation if authorities and consumer
campaign, we were laughed
admit the truth, because bodies to admit that
at and derided by fire
then the public may ask ionization alarms are ʻnot fit
authorities and told we did
some uncomfortable for purposeʼ and alert the
not know what we were
questions about why they public before more lives are
talking about.
allowed this appalling lost.
Now, years later, those
situation to happen in the
same fire authorities have
adopted our stance that all first place.
homes be fitted with
Pr opos ed C l a s s A c t i o n L a w s u i t
Just two of the many ads from the 60ʼs making false, misleading
and/or deceptive claims about ionization smoke alarms.
w w w. t h e W F S F. o r g / c l a s s a c t i o n
2. Hear the Radio Interviews & See Your Fire Brigades OFFICIAL Position:
w w w. t h e W F S F. o r g / a f a c