City firefighters may be knocking at your door

North Bay Fire & Emergency Services
News Release

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City firefighters have begun their annual ‘Residential Fire Safety Awareness Program’ which will target approximately 3,000 homes this summer. The focus of this program is to provide families with valuable fire safety information. Firefighters will be dropping off packages containing information on the installation and maintenance of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as well as emergency planning. Contact information on the Fire Station closest to your home will also be provided for those individuals who would like to request a home fire safety visit.

Public Education Officer Sheri Korn stated “the place where we feel the safest, our home, is where approximately 85% of all fire deaths occur. Therefore a program which focuses on home fire safety is crucial. Our goal is to educate residents on the importance of having a working smoke alarm on every level of the home and outside all sleeping areas. As well as the impending City By-Law NO. 2009-16 which will come into effect October 1st, 2009 requiring the installation and maintenance of carbon monoxide alarms in all residential occupancies containing a fuel fired appliance and/or having an attached garage.”

Presently in Ontario, it is the law to have a working smoke alarm on every storey of the home and outside all sleeping areas. Failure to comply could result in a ticket of $235 or a fine of up to $50,000 for individuals or $100,000 for corporations. Landlords must ensure that their rental properties comply with the law. As well, it is against the law for tenants to remove the batteries or tamper with the alarm in any way.

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms don’t last forever. Smoke alarms should be replaced every ten years and carbon monoxide alarms every seven years. When purchasing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms be sure that it has been certified to the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or the Underwriter Laboratories (UL) standard and follow the manufacture’s installation and maintenance instructions.

Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms save lives by providing you and your family with the earliest warning possible that a fire or carbon monoxide emergency exists. When this happens, EVERY SECOND COUNTS!

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