15 December, 2015

Housing New Zealand and New Zealand Fire Service join forces to help save lives

An ongoing partnership between Housing New Zealand and the New Zealand Fire Service aims to educate tenants nationwide about fire safety in a move both organisations believe will help save lives.

The two groups already work closely together but, in recent months, have formed a strong alliance to help provide the estimated 193,000 people who live in a Housing New Zealand property with an ongoing series of the best information around fire safety and prevention.

A recent event in the Wellington suburb of Naenae was led by Housing New Zealand and included a simulated kitchen fire controlled by members of the New Zealand Fire Service to help educate the public on fire safety tips and show how quickly fire can spread.

Housing New Zealand General Manager (Communications, Stakeholder and Marketing Group), Bryony Hilless says fire safety messages have been prominently used in Housing New Zealand materials such as the Close To Home newsletter which is sent to every one of Housing New Zealand’s 67,000 properties nationwide.

“Tips on keeping Fire Safe this summer inside and outside the home were included in this month’s quarterly newsletter and more fire safety messages will be regularly promoted through these newsletters and other material made available to tenants and their families”.

The fire safety information is not only relevant to our tenants but also something we can share with communities, Mrs Hilless says.

“We’ve already got a strong working relationship with the New Zealand Fire Service so it’s great that we can use that to help educate our tenants on things they can do to reduce the risk of fire in their homes.’’

“We regularly communicate with our tenants so it’s a great platform for the New
Zealand Fire Service to reach an important audience.’’

Housing New Zealand provides smoke alarms in all of our homes, including bedrooms, hallways and living areas.

“We inspect our properties regularly and check the smoke alarms are working correctly as part of each inspection. We also encourage our tenants to immediately let us know if there are any faults,’’ Mrs Hilless says.

The New Zealand Fire Service says linking up with Housing New Zealand enables it to highlight to tenants the importance of checking smoke alarms regularly and ensuring they have – and practice – escape plans.

National Advisor Fire Risk Management Todd O’Donoghue says fire safety is a community responsibility.

“Housing New Zealand is showing it is a responsible landlord by installing smoke alarms in its properties, checking the alarms during property inspections and providing support if tenants discover an alarm is not working.

“In turn, tenants need to realise they too have fire safety responsibilities. They must regularly test smoke alarms in their properties and ensure they remain working at all times.”

Mr O’Donoghue says more than half of fatal house fires are in rental properties – despite making up only a third of the country’s housing stock. In three-quarters of the rental property fires the Fire Service attends, there are either no smoke alarms or they are not working.

“Everyone needs to play their part in stopping fires and the loss and damage they cause. Housing New Zealand has shown a commitment to playing its part by entering into this partnership.”

Mr O’Donoghue says the joint approach enables the Fire Service to get other safety messages directly to segments of the community most likely to benefit from greater fire safety awareness.

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