Rotarians Change Smoke Detector Batteries For The Elderly In The Community

The Rotary Club of Wendouree Breakfast's annual smoke detector battery changeover was held on the weekend of 17th and 18th April, 2010.

This programme is designed, in co-operation with City of Ballarat, to assist elderly people who are part of the City’s Home and Community Care Service to changeover their smoke detector batteries once a year.

A change every twelve months is the period recommended having regard to battery life.

Climbing a ladder to change a battery is a simple enough task but beyond the scope of most elderly people who are fearful of falling and causing serious injury.

Thirteen teams (two per team) of Rotarians, in some cases ably assisted by husbands, wives and children visited 115 homes and changed 200 batteries over the weekend. It was an outstanding effort by all our volunteers.

Smoke detectors are many and varied seemingly lacking a standard design and it is a testament to the resourcefulness and ingenuity of our Rotarian’s that every battery was changed over.

Any detectors noticed to be faulty were reported back to Council for follow up by their maintenance team.

Special thanks go to our sponsors, CFA, Bunnings and Duracell who donated 100 of the batteries to assist with the financial aspect of the changeover.

Rotarian Keith Driscoll is pictured changing a battery in a smoke detector in one of the homes during the weekend changover.