Firefighters from Ottawa Fire Services will visit homes across the city from Monday, June 6 until Monday, June 13, checking to ensure smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are present and working.
Ontario’s Fire Code requires that homes have a working smoke alarm on each floor and outside each sleeping area. Carbon monoxide alarms are also required outside sleeping areas if the home has an attached garage, a wood stove or a fuel-fired appliance.
Firefighters will ask to inspect your alarms and provide information on fire safety and home escape planning. Homeowners who do not have working smoke alarms may have one installed for them or be provided with new batteries.
Stittsville Central reached out to Thomas Miller, Fire Captain at Station 81 to obtain his comments on this important initiative by Ottawa Fire. “The firefighters at Station 81 helped with the storm debris clean-up for a week after the Derecho. At that time, our members offered the Stittsville residents support immediately after by providing electricity for charging mechanisms, wellness checks, support and guidance wherever needed”.
“It was very humbling to watch a community come together in the time of need,” the Captain added.
Captain Miller emphasized, “But, I want to remind people to check the batteries and ensure that their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in good working order.”
Visits will take place between 6 and 8 pm on weekdays, and between 2 and 4 pm on weekends. Firefighters will be in uniform and residents are not obligated to provide them access to their home. This is a courtesy call only.
Firefighters will only visit select areas and will leave fire safety information in the mailbox if no one is home.
This will be the first door-to-door Wake Up campaign since September 2019. Firefighters have been visiting homes every spring and fall since the Wake Up program began in 2005, but suspended the campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Visit ottawa.ca/fire for more information on smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.