Don’t wait, check the date
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Be mindful of when to
replace your smoke alarms
Smoke alarms save lives, but only when they work. This
Fire Prevention Week – running from Oct. 9 to 15 – Vaughan Fire and Rescue
Service (VFRS) is urging residents to look at the expiry date on their alarms
and replace old devices.
VFRS is also
challenging residents to take a selfie of their family checking the expiry date
of their smoke alarms, and then post the photo on Twitter using #checkthed8 and
@VaughanFire to show everyone their alarm is up to date. A winning photo will
be chosen and the resident will get pizza delivered to their home by Vaughan
firefighters in a firetruck. For full contest rules, visit vaughan.ca/contests.
A smoke
alarm doesn’t last forever. It wears out over time and needs to be replaced
every 10 years or as indicated by the manufacturer. Residents can determine the
expiry date by looking at the back of the alarm to find out when it was made
and counting forward the recommended number of years for replacement.
VFRS also
reminds residents that smoke alarms are required on every level of the home and
outside all sleeping areas. Test all of your smoke alarms monthly by pushing
the test button on the device, and replace batteries at least once a year or
when the alarm’s low battery signal begins to chirp.
Fire
Prevention Week is an annual public health and safety campaign that commemorates
the Great Chicago Fire that took place in 1871 on Oct. 8 and 9. With a
different theme every year, the campaign keeps the public
informed about the importance of fire prevention and the simple things
residents can do to increase their safety at home.
VFRS will be at the
Rutherford GO Station on Oct. 11 from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. to promote Fire Prevention
Week. There also will be an event and selfie booth at City Hall on Oct. 13 at
2:30 p.m. to talk about the importance of having working smoke alarms.
For more information on fire safety, please
contact the Fire Prevention Division at 905-832-8531 or visit vaughan.ca/fire.