Salamander Bay firefighters received a call on Wednesday morning to a boat 100 metres offshore from Corlette that had taken on significant amounts of water and was in danger of sinking. The crew loaded a portable pump and lengths of hose onto a runabout to assist the owner in saving the boat. They successfully pumped enough water from the boat to enable it to be towed for repairs.
Thick, foul-smelling smoke was pouring from a unit at Morisset on Tuesday morning when fire crews arrived. Neighbours reported that the occupant was still inside. Firefighters quickly put on breathing apparatus and gained entry to the unit, finding plastics alight in the kitchen and the occupant still inside, overcome by smoke. The crew from Morisset safely evacuated the distressed man, providing first aid until the arrival of an ambulance crew. They extinguished the fire and used a positive-pressure fan to force the thick, acrid smoke from the unit.
Upon inspection, firefighters found no working smoke alarms in the apartment. Fortunately, neighbours were quick in calling Triple O (000) in this instance. Had they not been so alert, the situation could have been much worse.
Ensure your residence has working smoke alarms installed. If you are elderly or disabled Fire Rescue NSW crews can visit your premises and install smoke alarms and change batteries for you free of charge. Test your smoke alarms regularly.
