PSA: Illegal smoke and CO alarms being sold online in Ontario
The Cambridge Fire Department is warning residents of illegal smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms being sold online in Ontario. They would like to remind residents that when purchasing smoke and CO alarms, to always check for the appropriate marks to ensure they comply with Canadian standards. Only working smoke and CO alarms can protect you and your family.
Any smoke or CO alarm sold in Canada must comply with the appropriate Canadian standards. When looking for a new smoke alarm, the recognized Canadian certification marks such as CSA, cUL, ULC, or cETL, should appear directly on the product, not just the packaging. These certifications enhance the safety of products as well as the public’s confidence in their compliance. For example, UL Canada's safety certification services include testing, evaluation and factory surveillance of products to Canadian and international standards for safety. Below are some photos of Canadian Standard markings.
A little over a year ago, an issue was brought to the attention of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs’ (OAFC) Fire Prevention and Public Education Committee (FPPE), whereby online retailers were selling smoke and CO alarms in Ontario without meeting the proper Canadian or Ontarian standards. The FPPE Committee, comprised of members from the OAFC, the Ontario Association of Fire Educators (OAFE), the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officer’s Association (OMFPOA), and the Ontario Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM), immediately took action and began a series of meeting with Health Canada to see what we could do to remove these illegal devices from Ontario’s marketplace.
Cambridge Fire would like to remind everyone it’s imperative to clean and test your smoke and CO alarms every month. Smoke and CO alarm batteries should be replaced every six months. Alarms expire after 10 years and should be replaced accordingly.
To learn more about purchasing certified smoke and CO alarms online, visit https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2021/75583a-eng.php
-30-
Primary Media Contact
Dana Landsborough
Captain Public Education
Cambridge Fire Department
Secondary 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.
The Cambridge Fire Department is warning residents of illegal smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms being sold online in Ontario. They would like to remind residents that when purchasing smoke and CO alarms, to always check for the appropriate marks to ensure they comply with Canadian standards. Only working smoke and CO alarms can protect you and your family.
Any smoke or CO alarm sold in Canada must comply with the appropriate Canadian standards. When looking for a new smoke alarm, the recognized Canadian certification marks such as CSA, cUL, ULC, or cETL, should appear directly on the product, not just the packaging. These certifications enhance the safety of products as well as the public’s confidence in their compliance. For example, UL Canada's safety certification services include testing, evaluation and factory surveillance of products to Canadian and international standards for safety. Below are some photos of Canadian Standard markings.
A little over a year ago, an issue was brought to the attention of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs’ (OAFC) Fire Prevention and Public Education Committee (FPPE), whereby online retailers were selling smoke and CO alarms in Ontario without meeting the proper Canadian or Ontarian standards. The FPPE Committee, comprised of members from the OAFC, the Ontario Association of Fire Educators (OAFE), the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officer’s Association (OMFPOA), and the Ontario Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM), immediately took action and began a series of meeting with Health Canada to see what we could do to remove these illegal devices from Ontario’s marketplace.
Cambridge Fire would like to remind everyone it’s imperative to clean and test your smoke and CO alarms every month. Smoke and CO alarm batteries should be replaced every six months. Alarms expire after 10 years and should be replaced accordingly.
To learn more about purchasing certified smoke and CO alarms online, visit https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2021/75583a-eng.php.
-30-
Dana Landsborough
Captain Public Education
Cambridge Fire Department
LandsboroughD@cambridge.ca
Secondary Media Contact
Allison Jones
Supervisor of Communications
City of Cambridge
jonesa@cambridge.ca
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.