Smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms are now compulsory in caravans and mobile homes - and there is an on-the-spot fine of $ 200 for non-compliance.

The government is taking a soft approach and giving owners a six month period of grace to arrange installation. Taking the instance of smoke alarms in private homes, it is likely that a large number of owners will simply ignore this requirement. Others will comply, but forget that batteries need to be renewed annually if the device is to be satisfactory.

Extending smoke alarm legislation to caravans and mobile homes makes a lot of sense. People are confined in a small space with just a single entry and exit - and the materials used to achieve lightness also tend to be combustible. In a fire, they are nothing more than a death-trap !

Ensuring compliance with smoke alarm legislation should not be left to chance. Any towed vehicle requires registration and must display a registration plate. The onus of inspection should be borne by local councils - and their rangers - at facilities serving the caravan and mobile home industries.

Rangers should make a call at caravan parks on a regular basis - and record the registration number of the vans they inspect. In this way, as vans continue their journey to various holiday outlets they would be checked for the presence of a smoke alarm - and very importantly - that this appliance was in working order.

Once the word gets around that rangers make checks on caravans - and issue fines - it will not take long for owners to get the message.

And judging by statistics - save quite a few lives each year !