NZ Fire Service: Fire Fatalities Prompt Warning

Over the last decade, New Zealand's rate of avoidable residential fire fatalities has fallen to be one of the lowest in the world. However, in the last 12 months fire fatalities have doubled and this has prompted New Zealand Fire Service National Commander, Mike Hall, to make a personal plea to New Zealanders to start taking more responsibility for fire safety in their homes.

Mike has just filmed three 30-second commercials, which start tonight, focussing on the cause and effect of house fires. Each of the ads end with the key message "Fire safety, it's in your hands."

"We're seeing fatal house fires start by the same basic things - people not paying attention or being drunk in the kitchen, kids playing with matches and lighters, the misuse of candles, failing to correctly stub out cigarettes, overloaded power points and things too close to heaters," said Mike. "But, as I say in the ads there are only three real causes of fire - men, women and children. Very rarely is fire truly accidental and people need to understand that fire is a quick and silent killer."

The new ads reinforce the speed of fire message because, as Mike points out, "most people who die in fires, are dead before the Fire Service is even contacted."

After five fatalities in the Northland area alone over the past year, the Fire Service National Maori advisor, Piki Thomas, hopes that the Maori Television allocation of advertising makes an impact on improving fire safety behaviour in Maori communities in Northland and throughout the country.

ENDS

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