Are you and your loved ones safe from fire? Would everyone know what to do if a fire occurred in your home?
Most fatal fires occur in the home, where everyone feels safe and secure. What makes this worse is that many of these victims could still be alive today if they had taken a few simple steps to prevent these fatal fires. A home fire can start in many different ways and you must try to eliminate all possible fire hazards.
Take some time to fill out the following checklist and make sure your household is fire safe.
St. Catharines Jim Waycik Chief Fire Prevention Officer St. Catharines Fire Services 905-688-5601, ext. 4235 jwaycik@stcatharines.ca |
Welland Cheri Busch Fire Prevention Officer Welland Fire and Emergency Services 905-735-9922 ext.224 cheri.busch@welland.ca |
Fort Erie Kellie Kubik Fire Prevention Inspector Fort Erie Fire Department 905-871-1600, ext. 2605 kkubik@forterie.on.ca |
West Lincoln Kevin McIntyre Deputy Chief West Lincoln Fire & Emergency Services 905-957-3361 kmcintyre@westlincoln.com |
Grimsby Administrative Assistant Grimsby Fire Department 905-945-2113 gfd@town.grimsby.on.ca |
Niagara Falls Todd Maiuri Fire Prevention Officer Niagara Falls Fire Department 905-356-1321, ext. 2233 tmauiri@niagarafalls |
Pelham Saskia Holditch, Fire Prevention Officer Pelham Fire Department 905-892-3943 sholditch@pelham.ca |
Niagara-On-The-Lake Joseph Zambito Deputy Fire Chief Niagara-On-The-Lake Fire and Emergency Services 905-468-3266 JZambito@notl.org |
Thorold Larry Robertson Fire Prevention Officer Thorold Fire Department 905-227-6613 fpo@thorold.com |
Port Colborne Michael Bendia Fire Prevention Officer Port Colborne Fire And Emergency Services 905-834-4512, ext. 22 mikebendia@portcolborne.ca |
Wainfleet Chris Cole Fire Chief Township of Wainfleet Fire Department 905-899-1281 chiefcole@township.wainfleet.on.ca |
Lincoln Trevor Doomernik Fire Prevention Officer Town of Lincoln Fire and Rescue Service 905-563-8205, ext. 255 tdoomernik@lincoln.ca |
You have prepared your child the best you can, but when they leave home for the first time, are you sure they have everything they need to be safe? While the cost of an apartment or room may be the first consideration for many people, do you think about smoke alarms? What about exits?
We often hear about the person who drew the shortest straw, or was last to rent and was delegated with the basement bedroom beside the furnace.
Here are some things to take into consideration when helping choose a new place. If your child has already moved in a place and you are concerned about their fire safety, contact your local fire inspection division. We have also added a link to information basics which will help to make decisions about renting apartments.
Also check with your insurance agent to see if any coverage is extended to your children or if they should have their own coverage.
If your child is attending an educational institution in the United States we have added links to some proactive fire safety sites.
So, you have just bought a house or an apartment building and are looking to rent it out. You know about everything about the Residential Tenancies Act, however, what about the Ontario Fire Code or the Ontario Building Code?
Does your building comply with the Ontario Fire Code? There is zero tolerance in Ontario when it comes to having working smoke alarms. Fines for not having smoke alarms installed and maintained according to the Fire Code can be up to $50,000.00 and up to a year or imprisonment for a term of not more than one year, or both. A corporation convicted of a Fire Code offence is liable to a fine of up to $100,000.
Some municipalities such as Niagara Falls have carbon monoxide (CO) by-laws requiring the installation of CO alarms. Contact your local fire department for more information.
And, if you are renovating or adding rooms a Building Permit may be required. Contact your local building department to ensure any renovations are done safely.
Whether you are a student moving into a college or university residence, or just decided that you would like your own place to live, there are a multitude of decisions to be made. Every year we hear about a number of major fires affecting young adults in the Niagara Region. While there are several causes for these fires, including arson, you need to be prepared in the event of fire.
What can you do?
If your building has a fire alarm system, become involved in fire drills. If you have not been instructed by the building owner about fire protection features in the building - ask.
Test your smoke alarms at least monthly, or when you have been away for more than a couple of days. If it doesn't work when you push the test button, contact your landlord or administrator immediately. Don't assume that just because there is one installed, it will work forever; they need maintenance just like any other appliance.
Reduce false alarms. Apathy is prevalent when the fire alarm or smoke alarm activates frequently. See the following web site if you have nuisance alarms from your smoke alarm. http://www.makeitstop.ca
Know your address. The 9-1-1 system in Niagara has an enhanced 911 system which means your name, phone number and address will be shown on the dispatcher's screen if you call from a traditional phone line. Cell phones and newer internet based phone lines may not provide the dispatcher with all the emergency information... such as the location of the emergency.
The following contains more information on how to be prepared in case of fire: Fire Safety 101
Please select a location for information specific to your area.