Sault Fire Services are a pillar in the community when it comes to safety, prevention, education, and support services. It’s their duty to protect everyone in Sault Ste. Marie, while also educating citizens about the importance of fire prevention and safety.
Aaron Gravelle is the public educator with Sault Fire Services, and fire safety inside the home always starts with smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. It’s not only the law to have these in your house, they can save your life.
There are plenty of brands and options of smoke alarms available today, but Gravelle says hard-wired alarms with a battery backup are ideal, although not all homes have or require hard-wired alarms. Following manufacturer's instructions and locating alarms properly is crucial to ensure the alarms perform correctly.
“Wired-in is always your pinnacle of smoke alarms because you have a constant, consistent power source, whereas batteries can fail after time or if you don’t put the right battery in,” Gravelle said. “A lot of people will use dollar store batteries, which is a no-no. A lot of the smoke alarms will tell you in the instructions to use specific or quality batteries.”
Besides smoke alarms, if a home has an attached garage, a fireplace or any fuel-burning appliance, then a carbon monoxide detector needs to be installed near all sleeping areas. CO detectors don’t need to be near the fuel-burning appliance, they are meant to be outside bedrooms to alert people of carbon monoxide in the home in an emergency.
“A lot of the misconception that people think is that it needs to be near the appliance or near the furnace room,” Gravelle said. “The idea is that it needs to be placed where it can wake you up. That’s why the law is to keep them near all sleeping areas.”
For those who are unsure where to place these alarms or how to change the batteries, Sault Fire Services offers public service calls to your home to answer questions and offer guidance. Many local seniors choose this option through Project ASAP, where Sault Fire can address any fire safety concerns you have inside your home.
It’s not just about having proper smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, it’s also about following open-air burning laws. They’re all part and parcel with the bigger message about fire safety in the Soo. As spring nears, homeowners will spend more time outdoors, and that may include gathering around a campfire with family and friends.
Sault Fire Services reminds residents that open air burn permits are required. A fire prevention officer will come out to your home and inspect your firepit to ensure it meets fire codes, which is a $79 fee.
One service Sault Fire offers that most people may not be aware of is their fire extinguisher training. Most businesses should implement this training, and it's a great refresher for anyone who works where a fire extinguisher may be used.
Starting in May, Sault Fire Services will begin their yearly door-to-door program when they knock on
neighbourhood doors and offer to test your smoke alarms, replace the batteries, or address any fire safety concerns you may have about your home.
Whether it’s through Project ASAP, educating the public on open-air fire permits, or reminding residents about smoke and carbon monoxide alarm upkeep, Sault Fire Services are proud to be a local partner in everyone’s safety.
It takes the entire community working together to make Sault Ste. Marie a safe place to live, work and play for all.
To learn more about the services Soo Fire Services provides, visit the Sault Fire Services website.