What you'll learn:
- Who is at 'higher risk' in a home fire.
- How to prevent fires starting inside the home.
- The importance of working smoke alarms to detect fire.
- How to test smoke alarms.
- What makes home fires dangerous.
- What a home fire escape plan is.
- How to create a home fire escape plan that works for you (template included).
Who is it for?
- People who might not be able to respond quickly to fire
- People who are older, frail, or who have a disability
- Carers
- Family and friends
- Support workers
- Service providers
- Others delivering in-home support.
For people at higher risk
Learn how to make your home more fire safe
Prevent
In this free, online learning module, you will learn how to reduce the chance of a fire starting in your home.
You will also begin to think about who can support you to make your home a safer place.
Detect
You will learn also learn about the importance of working smoke alarms and how to test them.
Learn how to create a home fire escape plan
Escape
This module also contains a template to help you develop a home fire escape plan that works for you. You will work out what you and others in your home will do if a fire starts.
For carers and professionals
Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) have created this free, online learning module for those caring for and working with people at higher risk in a fire.
You will learn how to help the people you support to live more safely at home. This could be through removing fire hazards in the home, or making sure they have working smoke alarms installed.
You can also support them to develop a home fire escape plan based on their individual circumstances and needs. A plan template and sample plan is provided.
People and conversations are at the centre of the module
We know people are the experts in their own lives—they know their strengths and support needs. That's why we've designed this module to give people the opportunity to actively participate in their own emergency planning and decision-making.
Industry backed and co-designed
The Prevent Detect Escape online learning module was co-developed by CFA and FRV in collaboration with people with a disability.
It also has the support of several stakeholders from across the care sector including National Disability Services.
Suitable for induction or professional development
This module can be done during workplace induction or as professional development for individuals over time.
CFA and FRV recommend disability and care sector employers and employer groups make this online learning module compulsory for all staff.
Referral pathways can be identified
People who need extra help beyond this program can be identified through the module.
How to do the module
Online, anytime
This resource is an online learning module which is available for you to complete anytime. It is free and takes around an hour, but you can always stop and save your progress and come back to finish it another time.
We recommend doing the module on a laptop or PC, not on your tablet or phone. It will also work best using Google Chrome as your browser.
What to expect
The module includes videos with subtitles, and quizzes to test your knowledge as you go. You will need to have basic reading and writing skills to do it.
You can request to receive a certificate of completion at the end to say you have done the module.
Create an account to start
You will need to create a free account with CFA to access the module. You will be asked to register with your email address and verify your account via email before you can log in.
With a CFA Learning Hub account, you can save your progress as you go and gain access to a range of CFA online learning modules.
If you need help
You can find detailed instructions for logging in and complete the module in the PDF below.
Step by step guide on completing the module (PDF 1MB).
In-person group sessions
This module can also be run a your workplace as an in-person session for a group of people. Contact your local CFA office to request an online or in person group session.
What people have said about this online learning module
Jeanette's experience
Watch Jeanette, a wheelchair user, talk about her experience completing the module and her fire safety journey.
[Prevent, Detect, Escape – Home Fire Safety for people at higher risk]
[Jeanette]
I'm someone who used to be a business woman, a career woman, but more recently I'm much more just mum and grandma. I've been in a wheelchair for eight years, before that i was on crutches for a couple of years but full time in the wheelchair for the last eight years.
[Piano music]
[On screen text]
Almost two thirds of people who die in house fires have a disability
[Jeanette]
Knowing that 62 percent of people who die in a house fire have a disability is really alarming to me. Since I've been aware of the statistics home fire safety has really gone up in my priorities. It's really important to me to be as safe as i can when I'm at home, especially at night when I'm in bed, and i feel that I'm at most risk.
Home fire safety is my responsibility. It's something i can ask for help with. But ultimately it's mine because i live in my home, and i want to live in my home for as long as i can, and i want it to be as safe as i can, and although i can ask for help at the end of the day the buck stops with me.
[Piano music]
[On screen text]
Jeanette recently completed the Prevent Detect Escape online training module
[Jeanette]
I think the new Prevent Detect Escape module will definitely help raise awareness for people who may not have necessarily considered themselves to be at risk. It might actually be an awakening to see that actually anybody can be at risk. But if you have a mobility impairment or something else that makes you more at risk, that you need to take extra protection.
Things that I've put into place to help me and the other people who live in my home be safer, are things like having smoke alarms that work that i test regularly, and also having a ramp. My concern would be that if i woke up in the middle of the night and the alarm was going off, and i had to get out quickly, and i could see there was a fire between me and the door that had the ramp. That i would be panicking and i wouldn't be able to get out, so having more options to get out has been really reassuring for me. I'm able to sleep better at night knowing that if a smoke alarm wakes me up and it's at one end of the house, i can get out of the other end of the house. I've got no intention of being a statistic, so I'm trying to close in all my options and make it easier to get out.
[Piano music]
[On screen text]
The training module is free to access at www.cfa.vic.gov.au/atrisk and www.frv.vic.gov.au/atrisk
Very well explained and easy to navigate through this course.
- anonymous
This training was well worth doing. It's brought up a few issues in my own circumstances, as well as with the people I work with in my job.
- anonymous
Very informative and opened my eyes to what fire does and can do, if you didn't have a plan in place.
- anonymous
This should be mandatory so everyone will be educated and will know how to prevent any harm if there is a fire.
- anonymous
Key resources
Completed the module and need more help?
Not everyone can ask family or friends for help to make their home safer.
If you finish the module and realise you or your client need more help, we have resources to help you figure out the next steps.
Download CFA's referral pathways
These documents help you learn what to do if you or your client need more help after doing the online module.
Page last updated: Wednesday, 26 August 2026 5:08:30 PM