Firefighters from the Town of Bracebridge Fire Department will be conducting a Door-to-Door Smoke and C.O. Alarm campaign in the urban areas of Bracebridge on Monday nights this summer.
Firefighters will not be entering homes, but will visit with residents to provide public education regarding smoke and carbon monoxide alarm placement and maintenance and to answer questions.
The Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office reports that most fatal fires occur at night when people are asleep. Often, victims never wake up. Working smoke alarms give residents the precious time needed to escape a fire. By law, every home in Ontario must have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas.
If a home contains a fuel-burning appliance such as a furnace, fireplace or cook-top or has an attached garage, a carbon monoxide alarm is also required outside of all sleeping areas.
Mike Peake, Deputy Fire Chief for the Bracebridge Fire Department states, “We know smoke and C.O. alarms save lives. We are spending time this summer checking in with homeowners to ensure that everyone has working alarms in their home and that they know how to check them. Smoke alarms typically have a life of 10 years and C.O. alarms typically have a life of 7 years. We’ll be asking folks to check their alarm expiry dates and assist with any questions they may have.”
Firefighters will be travelling together and will be wearing identifying uniforms. They will be accompanied by Fire Department apparatus.
The Door-to-Door Campaign will run on Monday nights only between 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. until August 29. The Department is hoping to visit over 1000 homes this summer and to continue the program in future years.