Residents are urged to test their smoke alarms as part of a provincewide effort to reduce the number of deadly fires.
The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) mentioned that the province is still seeing a rise in fatal residential fires.
“Last year alone, Ontario experienced 127 fire deaths; one of the highest totals we have seen in decades,” said OFM Jon Pegg in a video shared on social media. “Many of those lives could have been saved by something as simple as a working smoke alarm.”
So far this year, Ontario has recorded 77 fire fatalities.
“The reality is this: when a fire starts, you may have less than one minute to escape,” Pegg said. “If your smoke alarm doesn’t work, you and your loved ones may never get that chance.”
September 28 is marked as the fourth annual Test Your Smoke Alarm Day, part of the Saved by the Beep awareness campaign.
This year’s campaign particularly targets students and young adults.
Sarnia Fire Rescue Public Education Officer Mike Otis noted that smoke alarms should be tested monthly and batteries should be replaced at least once a year (or more if needed). Alarms should also be changed every 10 years, even if they’re hardwired.
“Even if your hardwired alarm is older than 10 years, and you press a button and it beeps, that doesn’t mean it’s working. It means it has power,” Otis said. “The sensor, the part that saves your life, deteriorates and becomes less effective over time. So an older alarm will respond much slower than a newer one would.”
By law in Ontario, functioning smoke alarms must be installed on every floor and outside all sleeping areas in any home.
Otis explained that the Saved by the Beep campaign leads up to Fire Prevention Week in October and Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week in November. During this period, Sarnia Fire Rescue will share safety messages on social media.
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