Keep Safe This Winter
Daylight saving has ended, the first southerly storm for the winter is here, and for many of us, its time to get the fire going or the electric heater out. But just like summer, winter brings its own unique set of fire dangers.
Please take some time to think about our fire safety tips while you work on keeping your family safe and warm.
• If you’re using electricity to heat your home, don’t overload power points – use multi-boxes instead.
• Check that any heater is free of dust and in safe working order. If you’re using a portable gas heater, it should be serviced every 12 months – now is a good time.
• If your gas heater doesn’t light straight away, turn it off and try again. Don’t let the gas build up before trying to relight it.
• Never cover any heating appliance.
• Clean chimneys and flue before your first fire of the winter (There are a couple of recommendations for chimney sweeps here on Neighbourly).
• Don’t throw rubbish into the fireplace – particularly batteries and aerosol cans.
• Ashes can take up to five days to cool – always empty fireplace or woodburner ashes into a metal bin and pour water over them before you dispose of them.
Remember the heater-metre rule – always keep furniture, curtains, clothes and children at least one metre away from heaters and fireplaces.
Keep warm and stay safe, and if you need to know more about winter fire safety, contact your nearest Fire Station
Poll: Should we be giving the green light to new mining projects? 💰🌲
The Environmental Protection Authority announced this week that a proposed mine in Central Otago (near Cromwell) is about to enter its fast-track assessment process. A final decision could come within six months, and if it’s approved, construction might start as early as mid-2026.
We want to know: Should mining projects like this move ahead?
Keen to dig deeper? Mike White has the scoop.
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53.2% Yes
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46.8% No
GARDENER WANTED
Looking for recommendations for a gardener (no lawn-mowing), who can give our gardens and section the TLC they deserve (weeding, pruning, diggng out, planting and binning old garden waste) and anything else you may see that needs doing.
Thanks in advance 🙂
‘Tis the season to not get scammed ...
As Christmas gift shopping moves increasingly online, scammers are ramping up their activity across the country.
Dunedin’s Investigation Support Unit is seeing more and more people fall victim to scams and other fraudulent activity, particularly on Facebook Marketplace.
There are a few ways to avoid the scams and keep yourself safe doing online trades this holiday season, says Southern District Service Delivery Manager Senior Sergeant Dalton.
🔒 “A good first step when looking to purchase something on Marketplace is to check when the seller’s Facebook profile was created. If it’s very recent, there is a higher risk that they have just created this account for a one-off fake item.”
🔒 Another important step is to make sure the seller’s profile name and bank account name match up. “We’re seeing a lot of scammers claiming their bank account name is different because it belongs to their partner or family member - that’s a huge red flag."
🔒 “When you’re selling, never trust a screenshot anyone sends you showing that payment has been made. Check your own bank account to make sure a payment has gone through."
🔒 “Quite frankly, it’s best for all parties to agree to pay, or be paid, for items in cash and in-person. Ideally in a public place with CCTV coverage."
🔒 "If you’re buying a car, check Carjam.co.nz to see if it’s stolen or if there’s money owed on it.”
A reminder: Suspicious activity can be reported on 105
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