By James Matthews
The Minden Hills Fire Department worked throughout last year to make everybody SAFE.
Don Kruger, the township’s fire chief, updated township council during its Jan. 9 meeting about last year’s trial Smoke Alarms for Everyone (SAFE) program. He recommended that council make the program an ongoing safety initiative.
Twenty smoke alarms were installed in 19 Minden Hills homes. Last year’s trial used 48 staff hours at a cost of $1,086.72.
On Jan. 25, 2024, council approved the launch of the program on a one-year trial basis. The Minden Hills Fire Department received 250 donated smoke alarms by the local Home Hardware outlet to make the program possible.
“A working smoke alarm is a basic, fundamental requirement for home fire safety,” Kruger said.
Effective March 1, 2006, all Ontario homes had to have a working smoke alarm on every storey outside of all sleeping areas. This requirement covers single family, semi-detached and town homes owned, occupied, or rented.
“People are most vulnerable at night when sleeping,” according to a report to council. “A working smoke alarm will detect smoke and sound an alert, allowing occupants to better react to the emergency.”
The SAFE program engages with community members and educates them about the importance of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their homes, trailers, and cottages; regular maintenance of these alarms; and home escape planning and being prepared for emergencies.
During 2024 the program provided voluntary fire inspections to 19 homes. Homeowners either contacted the fire department through the township’s webpage, by phone, or during a safety blitz when fire prevention literature was distributed.
Fire personnel visited another 250 homes during a September safety blitz and the Test Your Smoke Alarm themed day.
The fire department feels there is a need for this service and additional public events to help spread the word will attract more support and use of this program.
“The fire department projects this investment will be rather consistent moving forward in future years due to the fact we will already be out in the community to promote fire safety or provincial programming,” according to a report to council.
Kruger said personnel will continue to solicit donations to keep the program going. The fire department started with all 250 donated fire alarms at the station.
Councillor Tammy McKelvey suggested the fire department limit the number of fire alarms received from donors.
“At 20 a year, these are going to be expired,” she said of the remaining alarms.
“That is certainly a possibility,” Kruger said. “It just depends on how many we give out every year.”
“I’m just wondering if they can be given back to Home Hardware to give us a smaller number every year sort of thing as we use them,” McKelvey said.
“It’s certainly something that can be looked at, but we don’t know how many we’re going to give out each year,” Kruger said. “We’d rather have too many than not enough.”
He said the fire alarms are usable for 10 years before they expire.
“We have a number of them that we can continue to give out for many more years,” Kruger said.
