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SESSIONS

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Smoke Alarm Legislation

  • Day 2: Thursday 7 May 2026
  • 11:00 am – 11:40 am
  • Courtyard Room

The research presented is aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Queensland’s unique smoke alarm legislation in order to identify opportunities for expanding current smoke alarm requirements.

The objectives were:

– To determine if there is a significant different in residential fire outcomes in QLD before and after it’s smoke alarm legislation was changed in 2017

– To assess the rate of compliance and level of awareness regarding legislation and meeting requirements

– To examine the relationship between different characteristics (location, power supply, and connectivity) of smoke alarms and the resulting outcomes

Join the students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute as they present their findings.

PRESENTER(S)
Kayleigh

Kaleigh Gothie

Student Researcher, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Kaleigh Gothie is a third-year undergraduate chemistry student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She loves learning through experimentation as well as data analysis and crunching numbers to produce meaningful results. She is particularly interested in the mechanisms for how different smoke alarm systems function and how to support communities regarding fire safety.

erin

Erin Henaghen

Student Researcher, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Erin Henaghen is a third-year undergraduate student at Worcester Polytechnic Institution pursuing Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Manufacturing Engineering. They find the processes of how things are made and the aspects of different material properties very interesting. In their field they find machining and system simulation software fascinating. Outside of classes they love to craft, spend time outside, and bake! Another thing about them is that they love giving back to the community. They are intrigued by the differences in the smoke alarm legislation across Australia and seeing how reform may benefit the community.

ryan

Ryan Magner

Student Researcher, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Ryan Magner is a third-year undergraduate student at Worcester Polytechnic Institution. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Manufacturing Engineering. In the manufacturing field, he is particularly interested in 3D design and data-analysis. For this project, Ryan learned about the relationship between different legislative requirements and compliance rates. Additionally, he investigated how specific smoke alarm characteristics can influence fire outcomes in residential areas.

Kaitlin

Kaitlin Neesen

Student Researcher, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Kaitlin Neesen is a chemical engineering student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, pursuing a fire protection minor. In her field, she has a strong interest in process design and modeling, with specific interests in applying thermodynamics and kinetics to real-world problems. Kaitlin is passionate about making a difference in the fire protection field by exploring opportunities to expand current legislation across Australia, and seeing how that might improve community safety.

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