Community
9 April, 2026
Easter eggs and fire safety
MORTLAKE received a special Easter treat when members of the Country Fire Authority (CFA) visited town with treats for the kids and information for the parents on how to keep the family home safe as the colder weather arrives.
CFA volunteers were in town on Easter Sunday as part of a community event which featured free face painting, a colouring station and Easter egg hunt.
While there was plenty of fun and games for the kids, the day also included a range of information to help keep families safe in the home.
The CFA is beginning its transition away from the fire safety information associated with summer in a bid to ensure families are prepared for winter.
CFA community safety coordinator Julie Owens said some of the simplest safety messages were key to avoiding the worst-case-scenario during months when the temperature drops.
“The change to daylight savings is always a good time to talk to people about changing the batteries in their smoke alarms,” she said.
“We’re going from the summer fire season into the winter so, even though house fires happen during any season, we’re concentrating on asking people to be very mindful of the different dangers as we move into the colder months.
“Things like checking heaters, fireplaces and chimneys are important because we have a lot of fires at the beginning of winter.
“Even something as simple as cooking being left unattended is a cause for fires every year too.”
CFA community safety coordinator Bec Wright said the rise of technology had also brought about new concerns, such as people leaving their phone charging in bed.
“The new risks too are things like charging laptops on beds – on surfaces which are not solid – which can increase the risk of fire,” she said.
“People should be charging their phones and laptops during the day on a hard surface, not overnight on the bed while they’re asleep.
“Those things are big risks but our key messaging every winter is that only working smoke alarms can save lives.
“Or you can contact the CFA community safety team or local brigades.
“Brigades can even install smoke alarms for people who might be vulnerable and unable to do so themselves.”
Mrs Owens said key information on home fire safety and preparedness for winter can be found online at www.cfa.vic.gov.au.
“We have things like the home fire safety booklet which gives a nice summary of some of the things to be mindful of,” she said.
“We encourage people to have a fire blanket in the kitchen, a smoke alarm – we’re also encouraging everyone to have a smoke alarm in every bedroom, which isn’t a legality but we do encourage it.”
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