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family making an escape plan

If you had a fire in your home, do you have an escape plan? Is your smoke alarm working? These are the questions South Frontenac Township wants residents to ask themselves as it prepares for Fire Prevention Week.

“In 2022, the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office reported 113 of fire-related deaths, the highest number in more than 20 years in the province, yet just over one in three residents have a working smoke alarm,” says Interim Fire Chief Alex Bennett. “In a house fire, you have less than two minutes to get out. A working smoke alarm can save your life.”

This year South Frontenac Fire and Rescue is asking people to take action and do at least one thing to keep themselves and their family safe, whether that’s testing their smoke alarm, making an escape plan, or remembering to turn pot handles to the back of the stove.

“We’ve had a couple of devastating fires in our community in the past few years. We’re hoping people will be compelled to take action to help prevent fires and be prepared for any emergency,” says Bennett.

Fire Prevention Week is Oct 8-14, 2023. The theme this year is “Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention.” Cooking is the leading cause of house fires and house fire injuries in Canada and the US. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires and deaths.

South Frontenac Fire and Rescue offers these tips to help reduce the risk of a cooking fire.

  1. Watch what you heat. Always keep a close eye on the stove and never leaving cooking unattended.
  2. Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove and keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
  3. Have a “kid- and pet-free zone” of at least 3 feet (1 metre) around the stove or grill.

Here are some of the events and activities taking place in South Frontenac to promote fire prevention and emergency preparedness:

  • Thursday, September 28: “Saved by the Beep” Test Your Smoke Alarm Day. Volunteer firefighters will be out in the community reminding people about fire safety and encouraging them to test their smoke alarms. Look for them from 2-6 pm at the Sydenham and Verona Foodland.
  • Tuesday, October 10 from 7-9 pm: Fire Station Open Houses. See the trucks, meet South Frontenac Fire and Rescue crew members and learn about fire safety at these stations:
    • Station #1, 7 Steele Rd
    • Station #4, Hartington, 4808 Holleford Road
    • Station #5, Sydenham, 4233 Stagecoach, Sydenham
    • Station #6, 5855 Perth Road
    • Station #8, 4490 Battersea Road, Sunbury
  • September 28-October 14: #BePreparedSouthFrontenac Contest. Snap a photo of you or family members doing something to be prepared in case of fire or an emergency and post it to social media using the hashtag #BePreparedSouthFrontenac and tag us or submit it using this form to be eligible to win great prizes. See full contest details at southfrontenac.net.
  • Saturday, October 14 from 10 am to 4 pm: Battersea Pumpkin Festival. SFFR crews will be at the festival with their fire station air castle and doing demonstrations.
  • Saturday, October 21 at 3 pm: Opening of Fire Station #8. Join us for the official opening of our newest Fire Hall at 4490 Battersea Road.

For more information on fire prevention and safety, see southfrontenac.net/fire-prevention or contact fireadmin@southfrontenac.net or follow South Frontenac Fire & Rescue on Facebook at @SFFireandRescue.

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Contact:
Laurie Swinton
Executive Assistant & Communications Officer
613-376-3027 ext. 2260
communications@southfrontenac.net    

 

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