Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service Resumes Door-to-Door Smoke Alarm Campaign
After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service (KLFRS) is resuming their door-to-door smoke alarm program. The program runs through the summer and fall.
Kawartha Lakes firefighters will be travelling across the municipality educating residents about how to be prepared in case of a fire and offering the option of receiving a free inspection of their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.
Last year was Ontario’s worst in decades, with 133 fire-related fatalities, including tragic losses of young children and families. Many of those fatal fires occurred in homes that lacked working smoke alarms. Messages about the importance of having working smoke alarms are not reaching all Ontarians.
Studies have shown that interventions that include home visits by firefighters with a focus on fire safety information and working smoke alarms has reduced the number of fire-rated fatalities.
KLFRS is stressing the importance of ensuring that working smoke and CO alarms are on every storey of a house and outside all sleeping areas. KLFRS is also reminding residents to develop and practice a home escape plan. The average time that a family has to safely escape their home unharmed in the event of a fire is only two minutes, and working smoke and CO alarms provide that early warning needed to escape. Firefighters stress that these practices can save lives.
Some important messages that the KLFRS will be delivering are:
Develop and practice your home escape plan with every person in your household twice a year.
Change the batteries on your alarms once a year or whenever the low battery warning sounds.
Test alarms monthly to ensure the batteries are still good and the alarm is working.
If residents are not home when KLFRS visits, they will leave an informational door hanger.
Those who would like more information can contact the Fire Prevention Division at 705-324-5731.
For more information on fire safety, please visit the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal at www.ofm.gov.on.ca. To learn more about Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service, visit www.kawarthalakes.ca/fire.
