Tomorrow, September 28, is the first-ever Test Your Smoke Alarm Day in Canada, and the Provincial Government is encouraging residents to test home smoke alarms so everyone can be “Saved by the Beep”.

“Saved by the Beep” is the theme for this day of action, and highlights the fact that a working smoke alarm is your best chance to keep you and your family safe in the event of a fire. Ensuring smoke alarms are in good working order saves lives, cutting the risk of dying in a home fire by half.

Testing a smoke alarm is easy, and it’s something that can involve the whole family. To test a smoke alarm, press the button and it should make loud beeping sounds. Start in one room and then proceed to test all the smoke alarms in a house, replacing batteries as necessary. In Newfoundland and Labrador, smoke alarms are required to be installed in every room of a residence, including cabins, cottages, RVs, trailers and vacation homes.

Due to new construction materials and the popularity of open-concept living, residential fires are burning hotter and faster than before. Residential fires are also happening more often in bedrooms due to the increasing number of electronic devices in those areas of a home. Last year, there were approximately 650 reported fire-related incidents in the province, including residential structure fires and electrical fires, with seven related fire deaths.

If you need help, or advice about smoke alarms, contact your local fire department. Resources to educate children about fire safety, including videos, games and activities are available from Sparky the Fire Dog at www.sparky.org.

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Avis public : Le 28 septembre marque la journée « Testez vos avertisseurs de fumée »