The Niagara Chapter of the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association, formed in the 1970s in an effort to standardize fire safety education and messaging across the region, encourages all citizens to take part tomorrow in “Test it Tuesday.”
Jason Longhurst, Pelham’s Fire Prevention Officer, said that the Pelham Fire Department will be participating in the event on May 16, with firefighters at various locations, promoting the testing of home smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to ensure they are working properly.
“Alarms have a life span of eight to ten years, and need to be replaced at their expiration date,” he said. “If your alarm does not have a date on it, this means that it has expired. If people have any questions or concerns about their alarms, they can always reach out for assistance to Pelham Fire at 905-892-2607, extension 201, and we will arrange for someone to come out and assist with making their living areas safe.”
When properly installed and maintained, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms provide the early warning necessary to safely escape from a house fire or carbon monoxide exposure. Carbon monoxide is a toxic, odourless gas that is a byproduct of incomplete combustion of many types of common fuels, and can be lethal to victims of smoke inhalation during a fire. More than one-third of carbon monoxide-related deaths occur when the victim is asleep. Once inhaled, carbon monoxide passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, where it attaches to the hemoglobin molecules that normally carry oxygen.
Chapter president Kellie Kubik encourages everyone to test their detectors monthly by pushing the centre button on the unit. If it sounds an alarm, this demonstrates that it is working.
“Functional smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, together with a well-practiced home escape plan, gives you the ability to get everyone to safety during a fire or carbon monoxide exposure in your home,” she said.
In a StatsCan report on the circumstances surrounding unintentional fire-related deaths from 2011 to 2020, it was reported that there were, on average, 220 fire-related deaths in Canada each year. The vast majority of these fire-related deaths—81 percent—were classified as unintentional accidents, and 92 percent occurred in private homes, long-term care facilities, and temporary dwellings such as hotel or trailers.
While nonfatal residential fires were commonly linked to cooking or fires starting in the kitchen and electrical failure, some of the risk factors most often associated with fatal residential fires are the consumption of drugs or alcohol, improperly discarded cigarettes, living alone, being asleep at the time of the fire, older age, male gender, and the fire occurring in a mobile home.
The majority (68 percent) of residential fire-related deaths were a result of smoke inhalation, which leads to asphyxia, a condition where the body's supply of oxygen is deprived. At least one in seven unintentional residential fire-related deaths occurred in residences without a working smoke alarm.
Older persons are at greater risk of residential fire-related death. Nearly one-third of unintentional residential fire-related deaths in Canada involved people 70 years and older, while this same age group represented one-eighth of the population in 2020.
Unintentional residential fire-related deaths are more common in the winter. During the 2011 to 2020 period, the number of residential fire-related deaths tended to increase in the early fall, peaking in the winter months, subsequently decreasing in early spring. During the colder months, there is increased use of heaters and wood-burning stoves. Additionally, people remain indoors for longer periods of time, leading to an increased frequency of indoor smoking and use of candles.
From 2011 to 2020, Canadian coroners or medical examiners examining residential fire victims reported that the fire was ignited by a cigarette, cigarette lighter, or other material used for smoking in at least 20 percent of residential fire-related deaths. The consumption of alcohol, cannabis, or illicit drugs was reported in nearly one-third of unintentional residential fire-related deaths among persons aged 15 and older.
Smoke detectors are valuable in areas where hazardous and flammable materials are used or stored, like garages (think gas cans and propane cylinders). Insurance providers may reject a claim without proof of functional fire alarms.
Given that the kitchen is an area potentially prone to fires in homes, it is important to remain in the kitchen while food is cooking. A good idea is to establish a “kid-free zone” of at least one metre around the stove and areas where hot food is prepared. Anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, and towels — should never be placed near the stovetop. Flames from small grease fires from cooking on a stovetop can be smothered by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner (do not attempt to douse a grease fire with water.) Oven fires can be dealt with by turning off the heat and keeping the door closed. If a kitchen fire appears out of control, turn off the heat, close the kitchen door, and immediately call 9-1-1.
Anything combustible should be kept at least one metre away from heating equipment like a furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater. Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional, and remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed. Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room.
Don’t forget, say fire experts: smoke and carbon monoxide detectors save lives.
