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"Why haven't the flawed Australian Standards been exposed, ionisation smoke alarms banned, and the public warned?
Adrian Butler & Karl Westwell, Co-Founders, World Fire Safety Foundation | 1 July 2024
1 July 2024
A Word from the World Fire Safety Foundation
Less than 25% of Australia's 26 million residents are covered by adequate smoke alarm legislation. The only mandatory photoelectric-only legislation is in the Northern Territory (1 Nov 2011) and Queensland (1 Jan 2017). This legislation was a direct result of the World Fire Safety Foundation's relentless campaigning since March 2000, for ionisation alarms to be banned in favour of photoelectric alarms.
In December 2015, Commissioner Greg Mullins, the former President of the Australasian Fire & Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC), the peak representative body of all Australian and New Zealand Fire Brigades warned, "ionisation alarms should be banned" and that, "the (smoke alarm) standard itself is flawed."
Commissioner Mullin's Testimony to the Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Inquiry
Greg Mullins, AO AFSM, Commissioner FRNSW and President of AFAC Warning:
"Ionisation alarms should be banned . . . the standard itself is flawed!"
Australian Senate Smoke Alarm Inquiry | Canberra, ACT, Australia | 4 Dec 2015
Commissioner Mullin's warning has been vindicated with nationwide photoelectric-specific legislation in Australia (commercial buildings), New Zealand (all rentals) and in several U.S. states and cities. New nationwide legislation (UL217-8th edition) will eventually eliminate stand-alone ionisation smoke alarms from all U.S. homes.
Why has Commissioner Mullin's dire warning been largely ignored? Is it because of 'Wilful Blindness'?"
FRNSW smoke alarm report was released after Commissioner Mullins retired, despite experts' warning it was flawed. It must be rectified before more lives are needlessly lost.
Adrian Butler
World Fire Safety Foundation
Chairman, Co-Founder, Former Firefighter
52 Old Laidley-Forest Hill Road
Forest Hill, QLD 4342 AUSTRALIA