Cambridge Firefighters coming to your door this fall to test your fire safety awareness

This fall, the knock on your door could be a City of Cambridge firefighter.

Starting September 23, 2023, firefighters from all six stations in Cambridge will launch their ‘Residential Fire and Life Safety’ program and visit 3,000 properties across the city to determine the public’s awareness of fire safety.

This annual safety blitz provides firefighters with the opportunity to check in on resident awareness and educate about the importance of fire safety in the home, including smoke alarms, home fire escape planning and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. This program will also allow firefighters to remind residents that, in accordance with the Ontario Fire Code, working smoke and CO alarms are mandatory.

“Of all the home fires in Ontario, over 50 per cent of homes did not have working smoke alarms on every level and outside all sleeping areas,” said Acting Fire Chief Damond Jamieson. “This program allows our firefighters to visit residents and educate them about fire safety – the importance of having working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan with at least two ways out of the home.”

In 2022, Cambridge firefighters responded to 92 fires, which was up from 73 in 2021. The top two reasons for residential fires were unattended cooking and careless smoking.

From September to December, homeowners will be asked a series of questions including:

• Do you have a smoke alarm on each floor?
• Have you tested your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in the past month?
• Do you have a Home Fire Escape Plan?

“Residential fires are preventable”, added Jamieson. “The more we can educate residents about smoke and CO alarms, the better prepared they will be.”

To learn more about fire safety:

• visit the Cambridge Fire Department website at www.cambridge.ca/CFD
• follow us on Twitter @CambridgeFD.
• Contact the Fire Prevention office at: 519-621-6001 ext. 2380.