The annual push to ensure working smoke alarms and CO2 detectors are in every Cambridge home began last month and will continue for the next few weeks.
The Safe Communities Project Zero campaign has members of the Cambridge Fire Department going door-to-door in select neighbourhoods conducting a brief survey with homeowners.
"Last year, our program reached 3,067 homes, and we look forward to expanding that impact this year," says Jessica Buczynski, fire and life safety educator with CFD.
Aimed at educating residents about the critical importance of fire safety at home, the survey touches on home escape plans, rules around smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and asks how frequently residents change the batteries.
"Public education is the first line of defense when it comes to fire safety," she adds, hoping it will bring awareness, particularly to new residents, about requirements around fire safety.
The annual effort comes six months after a fire tore through a rooming house in Preston Heights, displacing at least six international students.
Questions still linger around safety in rooming houses and limitations on enforcement through fire and building codes.
Failure to comply with smoke alarm requirements can result in a $360 ticket for homeowners, a fine of up to $50,000 for landlords, or $100,000 for corporations.
The CFD's on-the-ground education program addresses some of those concerns as it aligns with provincial legislation that places the responsibility on homeowners to ensure they have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in their homes.
So far, the campaign is revealing some positive numbers around awareness, while revealing there's also still some work to do around compliance.
About 97 per cent of the 1,500 Cambridge residents quizzed say they're aware of the requirements for a CO detector and smoke alarm on every floor, but that knowledge doesn't always mean they've taken the necessary steps to protect their families.
Only 79 per cent of residents said they have working smoke alarms and only 71 per cent of those residents test them regularly.
Residents who answer "no" to questions about their understanding of the law get flagged by fire prevention for follow up. Then fire crews return to ensure compliance and to provide further education about the rules, Buczynski says.
Education includes tips such as installing smoke alarms on every floor outside of sleeping areas, reminders to test them monthly and replace batteries every time you change the clocks.
The survey found 81 per cent of Cambridge residents interviewed so far have some form of fire escape plan.
Helping to get more working smoke detectors in every home this year is a donation of 390 combination smoke alarms to distribute to homeowners who need them.
The partnership with Safe Communities Project Zero, Enbridge, and the Fire Marshal's Public Safety Council has provided more than 86,000 alarms to Ontario fire departments over the last 15 years.
"These alarms are a significant step toward improving home safety in our community," Buczynski says.
Local fire crews will be delivering these messages and more at the CFD Open House on Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cambridge Fire Head Quarters, 1625 Bishop Street N.
