Several events are being held in Airdrie to recognize Fire Prevention Week.
Deputy Fire Chief Linda Masson said firefighters kicked off the ConocoPhillips Home Safety Program Oct. 11 and will be knocking on doors in Airdrie to educate people on fire safety for the next month.
“The crews go door-to-door in certain communities and they talk about smoke alarms, about home escape planning, about fire extinguishers, about having a meeting place (as well as) CO (carbon monoxide) detectors,” Masson said.
As part of the campaign, firefighters plan to visit more than 200 houses in Airdrie, including in Ridgegate, Marquis Place, McCracken Crescent and Flett Drive.
This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is Don’t Wait – Check the Date and Masson said firefighters also plan to install smoke alarms in houses that don’t already have them.
She said fire drills are also being conducted at several schools in Airdrie. One lucky Grade 5 student got to ride around in a fire truck with one of the crews Oct. 12 as part of the annual fire safety essay writing contest.
A senior safety tea is being held at the Over 50 Club from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 13 where firefighters plan to discuss fire safety with seniors.
The fifth annual ATCO Gas Fire Safety Day is also being held at the Chinook Winds Fire Station from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 15, where firefighters plan to provide Airdrie residents with information on smoke alarms.
“We hope lots of people come out and spend some time with us, see the trucks and learn some things about fire safety,” Masson said. “We just really want people to focus this week on their fire safety, make sure they check their alarms regularly to make sure they’re working.”
She said it’s important for homeowners to have an escape plan and practice it regularly.
“The detector is designed to give you that time to get out but it can be very chaotic if your home is smoke-filled,” Masson said.
Ross Bennett, public education officer at the Alberta Office of the Fire Commissioner, said people should have working smoke alarms inside their home on every level and in or near every bedroom.
“For years, one of the leading causes of death and injury in Alberta was a lack of smoke alarms, so for the last five years we’ve been concentrating on every kind of message about smoke alarms,” Bennett said.
“We’ve beefed it up. In older codes you only needed one smoke alarm for the whole house.”
He said it’s important to have smoke alarms in or near bedrooms because most fires happen at night when people are sleeping.
Smoke alarms have improved over the years and now have a 10-year battery and life expectancy, he said.
“The new ones are interconnected, so let’s say you put one in the basement, it goes off, it’s going to turn on the ones in your bedrooms as well,” Bennett said. “The technology has really evolved.”
Newer smoke alarms are also wireless and designed for specific areas in houses, like kitchens, bathrooms or high ceilings.
Bennett said they also don’t cause as many false alarms from things like burnt toast or steam from a shower.
He said people should maintain smoke alarms by dusting them and checking their expiration dates regularly.
“A smoke alarm is like having a firefighter on duty 24 hours a day,” Bennett said.
For more information, visit ofc.alberta.ca
