Station 1 - 6234 County Rd 13, Everett

Station 2 - 2821 County Rd 50, Loretto

Smoke Alarm Requirements

The Ontario Fire Code requires that all homes must have a working smoke alarm installed:

• on every floor level
• outside all sleeping areas

This applies to all single family, semi-detached and town homes, whether owner occupied or rented.

Smoke Alarm Maintenance

Here are a few things to consider when maintaining your smoke alarm:

• Never remove batteries from smoke alarms. If false alarms are a problem, try moving the alarm to another location or purchase an alarm with a pause feature that temporarily silences the alarm.
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
• Test smoke alarms once a month and replace the batteries every year.
• Clean your smoke alarms often by following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Ensure that all members of your household know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds.
• Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it.

Where to Install Smoke Alarms

Here are a few things to consider when installing your smoke alarm:

• If anyone in the household sleeps with the bedroom door closed, consider installing a smoke alarm inside the bedroom.
• On floor levels not containing sleeping areas, install smoke alarms in the living area or at stairwells leading to an upper floor.
• Do not install smoke alarms in areas of cold temperatures or high heat (see manufacturer’s recommendations).
• Do not install smoke alarms closer than 1 m or 3’ to kitchens or bathrooms.
• Install smoke alarms high on a wall or on the ceiling. If mounting on a wall, position the top of the smoke alarm approximately 10 - 30 cm (4” to 12”) from the ceiling. If mounting on the ceiling, position the alarm at least 10 cm (4”) away from a wall.
• Do not install smoke alarms near vents where air movement may prevent the alarm from working.

When installing smoke alarms, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Know the Sounds and What To Do

• Your smoke alarm sounds different than your carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. Test both alarms monthly and make sure everyone in your home knows the difference between the two alarm sounds. Replace the batteries if the alarms do not sound when the test button is pushed. If it still doesn’t sound, replace the alarm.
• A continuous beeping sound means there is an emergency and you should:
• leave the house
• call 9-1-1 from a safe location
• stay out of the house
• A chirping sound means the batteries or alarm should be replaced immediately. First try replacing the battery. If the chirping continues then replace the alarm.

Smoke Alarms for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

There are smoke alarms and alert devices that alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These devices include strobe lights that flash to alert people when the smoke alarm sounds. Pillow or bed shakers designed to work with your smoke alarm also can be purchased and installed. These work by shaking the pillow or bed when the smoke alarm sounds. These products can be found online and in stores that sell smoke and CO alarms.

Make sure to choose smoke alarms and accessories for people who are deaf or hard of hearing that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory. It’s also good practice to sleep with your mobile phone and your hearing aids or implants close to your bed.

Make sure your smoke and CO alarms meet the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.

Some tips:

• Install a bedside alert device that responds to the sound of the smoke and CO alarms. Using a low frequency alarm can also wake a sleeping person with mild to severe hearing loss.
• Sleep with your mobility device, glasses and phone close to your bed.
• Keep pathways and hallways lit with night lights and free from clutter to make sure everyone can get out safely.

Smoke and CO Alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing

Visit the Canadian Hearing Society for more information about alarm alternatives to standard smoke alarms.

The ATFD offers free home inspections to ensure your home has the appropriate amount of working smoke alarms and a CO detector is present in the home. Please fill out and submit the Home Safety Program Application Form to schedule an appointment, or if you require any clarification, please contact the Fire Chief or the Fire Administrative Assistant at 705-434-5055 extension 229.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odourless, and tasteless gas that is slightly less dense than air. It is toxic to humans and animals when encountered in higher concentrations. The main sources of carbon monoxide in your home are:

• Wood burning stoves
• Gas stoves
• Gas water heaters and furnaces
• Cars warming up in the garage
• Kerosene heaters

Prevent Carbon Monoxide in your Home

• Ensure fuel-burning appliances, chimneys and vents are cleaned and inspected annually. Visit COSafety.ca to find a registered contractor near you.
• Check that all outside appliance vents are not blocked.
• Gas and charcoal barbeques should only be used outside, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Never use barbeques inside garages, even if the garage doors are open.
• Portable fuel-burning generators should only be used outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from windows, doors, vents and other building openings.
• Ensure all portable fuel-burning heaters are vented properly, according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Never use the stove or oven to heat your home.
• Open the flu before using a fireplace for adequate ventilation.
• Never run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor inside a garage, even if the garage doors are open. Always remove a vehicle from the garage immediately after starting it.

Installing your Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Here are a few things to consider when installing your carbon monoxide alarm:

• Install at least one carbon monoxide alarm outside all sleeping areas in your home.
• Install carbon monoxide alarms where they can be heard.
• Carbon monoxide is roughly the same weight as air and will distribute evenly, so carbon monoxide alarms can be installed at any height.

Know the Sound of your Carbon Monoxide Alarm

• Your CO alarm sounds different than your smoke alarm. Test both alarms monthly and make sure everyone in your home knows the difference between the two alarm sounds.
• Don't be confused by the sound of your CO alarm's low-battery warning. Follow your CO alarm manufacturer's instructions so you know the difference between the low-battery warning, the 'end-of-life' warning, and the alarm alerting you to the presence of CO in your home.

What to do if your Carbon Monoxide Alarm Goes Off

Here are the top three things you must do if your carbon monoxide alarm is activated:

1. Get everybody outdoors immediately.
2. Call 911 from a safe location.
3. Keep all windows and doors closed, after everyone has left the house, to allow for an accurate reading of carbon monoxide levels.

Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

The following are all symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Flu-like symptoms

The ATFD offers free home inspections to ensure your home has the appropriate amount of working smoke alarms and a CO detector is present in the home. Please fill out and submit the Home Safety Program Application Form to schedule an appointment, or if you require any clarification, please contact the Fire Chief or the Fire Administrative Assistant at 705-434-5055 extension 229.

Families are reminded to establish a home escape plan and practice it regularly. From the moment a smoke alarm sounds, you may have as little as one minute or less time to safely escape a fire in your home. Your ability to get out depends on early warning provided by working smoke alarms and advanced planning.

It’s important for everyone to plan and practice a home fire escape. Everyone needs to be prepared in advance, so they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Every home is unique, so every home fire escape plan will be different. Have a plan for everyone in the home. Children, older adults and people with disabilities may need assistance to wake up and get out. Make sure all members of your home get the support necessary to evacuate the home quickly and safely.

A Few Things to Consider when Preparing your Plan:

• Include all family members in the development of your escape plan.
• Determine two ways out of every room in your home.
• Feel all doors before opening. If the door feels normal, open it with caution.
• Crawl low if you encounter smoke or heat conditions.
• Have a specified meeting place outside of your home for all family members.
• Call 911 from a neighbour’s house or other safe area.
• Do not go back into your home for any reason. Once you are out, stay out!
• Ensure that your house or business number is clearly visible from the street.

Home Escape Strategies for those with Health Conditions or Impairments:

• If you use a walker or wheelchair, check all exits to ensure you fit through the doorways.
• For those that are hearing impaired, consider using a bed shaker or smoke alarm with strobe lights to alert you to smoke or fire.
• If you have a service animal, plan to keep the animal with you during an emergency.
• If you’re visually impaired, practice your escape plan with the sound of the smoke alarm. It can be disorienting in an emergency.
• Keep your wheelchair, walker, scooter or cane by your bedside to make sure you can reach it quickly in an emergency.

Home Fire Escape Planning Tips