Cambridge Fire Department wants residents to “Get Loud!” this Fire Prevention Week and regularly test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Cambridge, Ontario. October 1, 2021 – Fire Prevention Week runs from October 3-9 this year, and the Cambridge Fire Department is urging residents to #getloud and “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety”.
It’s the law in Ontario that every home must have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. Regularly testing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms is the only way to know if they are working properly and can keep you safe in an emergency. Fatal fires often occur where there was no working smoke alarm.
Testing your alarms is easy. When testing your smoke or carbon monoxide alarm, you should hear a loud beep. This is the same sound you would hear in a real emergency. Be sure to replace your alarm’s batteries immediately if it does not sound when the test button is pushed. If there is still no sound after replacing the batteries, be sure to replace your smoke and carbon monoxide alarm.
“Knowing the different sounds your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms make can save you, your loved ones, and your home. Get Loud! by testing your alarms every month to learn the sound they make and to ensure the batteries work”, said Cambridge Fire Chief Brian Arnold. “You need to take immediate action if your smoke or carbon monoxide alarms sound. If the alarms beep in an emergency get everyone out of the home. If your alarms chirp, replace the batteries or alarms immediately.”
House fires can spread quickly and endanger everyone in the home, and even small fires can often result in thousands of dollars in damage. In 2020 there were 45 residential fires in Cambridge. Unattended cooking was the leading cause of residential fires and electrical issues were the second cause of fires in 2020.
Residents can be prepared for a fire emergency by developing and practicing a Home Safety Action Plan. The plan includes testing your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms once a month to ensure they are working and creating a home fire escape plan. Cambridge Fire encourages residents to practice this plan twice a year, so you are prepared in the event of a real fire and know how to escape.
To learn more about Fire Prevention Week in Cambridge, visit the Cambridge Fire Department’s website at www.cambridge.ca/FirePW.
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Primary Media Contact:
Allison Jones
Supervisor of Communications
City of Cambridge
For more information about the City and its services, visit www.cambridge.ca. For accessibility accommodations, please contact accessibility@cambridge.ca. To opt out of the news release distribution, email corpcomm@cambridge.ca.