Interstate News: Smoke Alarm Abuse Warning
Feb 4, 2011
INTERFERING with smoke alarms can land property owners with large bills or fines, local firefighters warn.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service regional development director Supt Alan Hogg said a fine of almost $1000 can result from interfering with a smoke alarm or behaviour such as smoking underneath one.
The warning follows concerns raised by a Palm Cove resident that his smoke alarm has gone off three times in six weeks and he may be fined.
Palm Cove resident Bill Clarence has lived at his apartment for six weeks and is unsure why the alarm keeps going off.
He said he has been told he can be charged $1000 for each time the firefighters are activated and there is no fire.
“Maybe it should be a heat alarm rather than a smoke alarm,” Mr Clarence said.
“I haven’t been charged yet, but it is a worry. They’ve just gone off for no apparent reason and there’s been no smoke at all,” he said.
Mr Hogg said under legislation if a smoke alarm has been interfered with or deliberately tampered with, property owners could be charged for the activation.
“We get about 3000 fire alarms in the Far North region and probably 10 to 15 percent of them are malicious or deliberate,” he said.
Mr Hogg said responsibility for smoke alarm maintenance rested with the property owner, who may decide to pass the charge on to any tenant who lived there.