FAQ
- How do I pronounce ’2020 Fire Protection’? Twenty- Twenty Fire Protection!
- Will we have to come up with a new name in the year 2020? Our choice of 2020 Fire Protection for our name is all about 20-20 vision. Fire Protection is extremely important, but we’ve all had experiences with fire companies taking the compliance standards too far. 2020 Fire applies our 20-20 vision, takes a logical, whole-building approach & ensures you get a safe property at an affordable price.
- Who can sign my annual fire safety statement? It is the owners responsibility to provide the statement; however, the statement can be signed by anyone designated to act as an agent of the owner.
- What is the risk to the owner if the annual fire safety statement is wrong? Even if the statement is signed by your fire company or agent, the responsibility for accuracy remains with the owner. If it was wrong & someone was injured in the building, the liability would most likely be placed upon the owner until they can prove negligence. In other words, make sure that you’re sure the person signing the statement knows what they are doing & has a track record to prove it.
- How much does an annual fire safety statement cost? Every building will be different, so a fixed price cannot be given without an inspection; however, you can be sure that every piece of fire equipment & every part of the building will need to be inspected and tested, so if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is- opening the building owner & occupants to unnecessary risk.
- Are Smoke alarms required in all residential premises? Yes, the Smoke Alarms Act requires all new, renovated & leased premises to have a working smoke alarm
- Can I fit a lock to my strata unit fire door? Not immediately- being a strata property, the strata plan, not the unit own the door & AS1905.1 (the fire door code) only allows certain modifications to the door- contact your strata manager & they will discuss it with a fire specialist
- Why is my smoke detector going into alarm? There are many reasons; however, the most common are either false alarm (due to smoke, dirt, dust or steam ingress) or the smoke detector getting dirty. Smoke detectors get dirty due to a build up of dirt, dust of insects & they become more sensitive. Smoke detectors in any environment where dust is possible should be cleaned every two years to avoid false alarm. Regular false alarms can incur large fines from the NSW Fire Brigade & cause ‘boy who cried wolf’ syndrome - where everyone ignores the alarm.
- How often do my fire extinguishers have to be checked? Australian Standard AS1851-2005, requires all extinguishers to be checked & tagged every six months. Depending on the type of extinguisher, they also need an overhaul every one to five years.
Do I need to issue an ‘Annual Fire Safety Statement’ to council? Yes- every building other than class 1 (house) is required to provide an annual statement to council. This is required under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Regulation 2000
