Central York Fire Services is reminding residents to be mindful of fire safety for Test Your Smoke Alarm Day Sept. 28.
The provincially recognized day urges Ontarians to test smoke alarms to ensure they are in working order. CYFS fire chief Rocco Volpe said citizens in Newmarket and Aurora should join in and take a minute to ensure there are working alarms in their homes.
"In the event of fire, we want our residents to be 'Saved by the Beep' so they can be alerted to fire, get out and get help right away," Volpe said in a news release. "Emergencies aren't simple, but being prepared can be, and it starts by pressing the 'test' button on your smoke alarm to know if it works.”
In 2023, 121 people in Ontario lost lives to fire. This is down slightly from 133 in 2022, which represented a 20-year high. Volpe said that in many of these tragic events, working smoke alarms are not present in the building.
"In Ontario, we've seen a significant rise in fatal fires and the number of people we have lost in these fires is very concerning," Ontario Fire Marshal Jon Pegg said in a news release. "Entire families have been lost to fire and the most troubling part is that the majority of these fires did not have a working smoke alarm in the home."
Smoke alarms are required in every storey of a residence and have been since 2006. Ontario also requires carbon monoxide detectors outside sleeping areas.
Landlords must test alarms annually after battery replacement and after tenancy changes. Renters must notify their landlord when they become aware a smoke alarm is not operating.
Volpe said to ensure to test smoke alarms monthly, refresh batteries annually and replace smoke alarms older than 10 years.
“These small steps can save lives,” Volpe said.
You can find more information at www.savedbythebeep.ca.
