It's a small action that has the potential to save lives and fire officials are telling Londoners they should be doing it once a month.
The London Fire Department is joining departments across the province in reminding homeowners to regularly test their smoke alarms to ensure they are in working condition. The reminder comes ahead of ‘test your smoke alarm day’ on Thursday. The theme of this year's awareness campaign is "saved by the beep." Residents are being encouraged to snap a photo of themselves or family members testing their smoke alarm and post it to social media using the hashtag #savedbythebeep.
"Being prepared to act in the event of a fire can start with simply pressing the test button and having the confidence that a working smoke alarm is in your home,” said Deputy Fire Chief Matt Hepditch. “Lives will be saved by regularly testing smoke alarms at least once a month, refreshing batteries at least once a year, and replacing smoke alarms older than 10 years.”
Last year, 133 people were killed in fires across the province. That is more than at any time over the past 20 years, according to fire officials.
"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," said Ontario Fire Marshal Jon Pegg. "Had there been working smoke alarms, and a well thought out and practiced home fire escape plan, these deaths may have been prevented.”
Since 2006, homeowners in Ontario are legally required to have working smoke alarms installed on every floor of their home. That includes in vacation homes, cabins, trailers, RVs, and cottages. Landlords have to test alarms annually and after every change in tenancy. Tenants are required to notify their landlord of any non-working smoke alarms in their residence.
Downloadable resources about ‘test your smoke alarm day’ can be found at www.savedbythebeep.ca.
