Fire Prevention Week is upon us and it’s the perfect time to make sure that your home is fire-safe.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. It only takes 30 seconds for a fire to double in size, which means working smoke alarms can make a life-saving difference by giving residents time to get out safely.
According to the BC Office of the Fire Commissioner’s 2023 annual report, last year there were fewer fire-related deaths and an increase in the number of working smoke alarms for reported structure fires. Death rates were also lower in buildings with working smoke alarms than those without.
The report found that having working smoke alarms reduces the risk of fire deaths by as much 50 per cent and is the most effective measure for preventing fire injuries and death.
Furthermore, the presence of smoke alarms and/or sprinklers reduced the spread of the fire and the dependence on the fire department to control the fires, and also created the greatest opportunity to survive a fire.
From January to September, Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service (AFRS) was called to 11,684 incidents of which 1,245 were triggered by fire/smoke alarms and 449 were fires.
The AFRS team recommends installing smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and on every floor including the basement, making sure the smoke alarms meet the needs of family members with sensory or physical disabilities, testing smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button, and replacing all smoke alarms after 10 years. These are simple tips, but they can save lives.
From Oct. 6 to 12 AFRS has initiatives planned to support and educate families when it comes to installing, testing and maintaining their smoke alarms, as well as home escape planning, fire survival and general fire prevention, including some educational videos like this one:
AFRS is also hosting Family Night in the Firehall open house events on Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Fire Halls 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Each of the halls will have hands-on activities for kids, important information about smoke alarms for adults, and other games and activities for all ages. Learn more about AFRS’s Fire Safety initiatives here.
Together we can do our part to make our homes and our community safer.
Abbotsford City Council