From January 1st, 2020, smoke detectors are required by law.
The political decision was made three years ago, but now every Flemish home must also be equipped in practice with devices that can save the lives of the residents. In this way, the government wants to reduce the large number of deaths from fires in the home (an average of 65 per year).
The law stipulates that at least one smoke detector must be hung on every floor. Experts in the field advise to hang smoke detectors in places where the risk of fire is greatest: not necessarily in the kitchen, bathroom or garage, but rather in the adjoining rooms, because the risk of false alarms is much smaller here.
It is also recommended to provide a smoke detector in the room where the drying cabinet is located and in places where batteries (mobile, bicycle) are charged. You should avoid charging these devices when you are not at home.
Smoke detectors can also be registered via the website "hangrookmelders.be", so that the fire brigade can get a global picture of the number of smoke detectors installed.
Remember: the sound of a smoke detector can save lives!