Milton firefighters will be out in force this summer and they want to come into your home.
Not to extinguish a fire though — quite the opposite. In a pro-active move, the Milton Fire Department (MFD) will implement a Home Safe Home program that will see firefighters encourage a free home fire safety inspection.
MFD crews will be stationed at stores such as Home Depot, Walmart and Canadian Tire on weekends where they will meet, greet, answer questions and educate residents about fire safety.
“The goal and focus of our program is to try and reach out to as many residents as possible on a more personal level and ensure our fire safety messages are being received,” said MFD Fire Prevention Officer Steve Ellis.
Last summer, firefighters knocked on some 10,000 doors, but little contact was made with residents.
“Our goal this year is to try new methods that result in more contact with residents,” Ellis added.
Basically, firefighters will be asking residents “how fire safe is your home?” And what resident wouldn’t be interested in ensuring that in a home? he said.
Firefighters will make suggestions about placement of smoke alarms to ensure there’s one on every floor of the home and inside or near every sleeping area.
Other smoke alarm information will recommend:
• testing smoke alarms once a month
• replacing batteries once a year
• never “borrowing” the battery out of a smoke alarm
• vacuuming them regularly
• not painting a smoke alarm
• replacing any smoke alarm that’s more than 10 years old.
They’ll also suggest residents make sure everyone at home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and have household members plan and practice their escape from fire.
Fire safety messages will include things such as:
• never leaving cooking food or burning candles unattended
• having chimneys inspected once a year and cleaned if necessary
• keeping your stove top clean and free from clutter • keeping counter-top appliances in good repair, including the cords.
Ellis said they’ll also be stressing the importance of using a carbon monoxide detector to avoid the invisible and odourless gas that can be deadly.
To arrange a free home fire safety inspection, call (905) 878-9251, ext. 2855 or 2815, or go to www.miltonfire.ca.
Sign Up
Milton.com helps you connect and share with the people in your community.
