New campaign encourages Brussels residents to install smoke detectors

A new campaign to encourage Brussels residents to install smoke detectors in their homes was launched this week by secretary of state for housing, Nawal Ben Hamou, and her counterpart for fire prevention, Ans Persoons.

“The human cost of fires is immense,” the two politicians said in a joint statement.

“We're thinking of the dead, but also the injured, not to mention the material damage. But most of these tragedies can be avoided, they are not inevitable.”

The campaign takes the form of a website, which reminds visitors that smoke detectors have been compulsory in all homes in the capital since 1 January.

Visitors to the site can also find advice on how to choose the right device and install it wisely, as well as a brochure summarising all these recommendations with a wealth of diagrams.

Posters bearing the message "Smoke detectors save lives" and linking to the website will also be on display in the streets of Brussels from this week.

About four fires break out in Brussels every day and it takes the fire brigade an average of eight minutes to arrive, according to fire brigade colonel Pierre Menu.

With synthetic furniture, a fire takes between three and five minutes to develop (compared with around 17 minutes for furniture made of natural materials), and the smoke emitted is denser and more toxic, hence the importance of installing a detector.

A free awareness-raising service offers home visits by firefighters. They can be contacted at sensibilisation@firebru.brussels.