Fire Prevention Week is underway in Sudbury
Monday is the beginning of Fire Prevention Week, one of the longest-standing public health observances in the country.
This year, officials in Sudbury are focusing on the importance of smoke detectors.
Monday is the beginning of Fire Prevention Week, one of the longest-standing public health observances in the country. (Photo from video)
“Make sure that you're checking it on a monthly basis, that you're changing the battery a couple of times a year, and that you have then a fire safety plan that tells … everybody in the house several ways to get out of each room,” said Sudbury Fire Chief joseph Nicholls.
Nicholls said he knows first-hand the impact smoke alarms can have in a family home because he experienced a fire in his home as a teenager.
"I escaped with basically a pair of jeans and shoes in winter -- one of the coldest days of that winter -- and we lost everything … stuff that's been in the family for years," he said.
"But the important thing is that a smoke detector back in the '70s alerted us to the fire and helped us get out of the house in a timely fashion. It's interesting because my dad started selling smoke detectors back before they were popular."
Monday is the beginning of Fire Prevention Week, one of the longest-standing public health observances in the country. (Lyndsay Aelick/CTV News))
By law, every home in Ontario must have a working alarm on every story and outside all sleeping areas.
"Emphasizing that they should be working and test them regularly," said Phil Doiron, chief fire prevention officer.
"Make sure that they sound if there are any questions, certainly reach out to us at the fire services at 311."
According to the Ontario Fire Marshal, 85 lives have been lost in fires in Ontario already this year and most deaths in the province happen in homes with no working smoke alarms.
"We see fires, unfortunately, where there's tragedy, and that's very hard to see when many, as we talked about, many of these fires are preventable," said Nicholls.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
"Unattended cooking or not discarding smoking materials or safeguarding smoking materials appropriately, those kinds of things. And so, there's lots that we can do as individuals to prevent that fire from occurring."
There will be three open houses from 1-4:30 p.m. at the Lively, Capreol and Levack stations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
The community is invited to attend and learn more about the importance of working smoke alarms.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Labour minister pushes for 'deal at the table' after Canada Post union issues strike notice
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says the federal government currently has no plans to intervene in negotiations after the union representing Canada Post workers issued a 72-hour strike notice.
What consumers need to know if Canada Post workers strike ahead of a busy holiday season
Canada's postal workers could walk off the job or the company could lock them out as soon as 12:01 a.m. ET Friday if the union and the company don't reach an agreement. Here are tips for shoppers and businesses.
BREAKING Feds move to end work stoppages at ports, order binding arbitration
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon says he is intervening to end the work stoppages at ports in both British Columbia and Montreal.
23 arrested after at least 100 shots fired in exchange of gunfire outside Toronto recording studio: police
Police say 23 people are in custody after at least 100 shots were fired in an exchange of gunfire outside a West Queen West recording studio on Monday night.
Campaign staffer resigns after N.S. PCs accused of vote-buying with Tim's gift cards
The Nova Scotia Liberal Party has filed a complaint with Elections Nova Scotia, accusing a Progressive Conservative candidate of trying to buy votes by allegedly handing out gift cards outside of a Tim Hortons.
Ottawa high school principal apologizes for song played during Remembrance Day assembly
The principal of an Ottawa high school is apologizing to students, parents and guardians after an Arabic-language song was played during the school's Remembrance Day service.
The Taliban will attend a UN climate conference for the first time
The Taliban will attend a UN climate conference for the first time since their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, the country's national environment agency said Sunday.
Federal judge blocks Louisiana law that requires classrooms to display Ten Commandments
A new Louisiana requirement that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom by Jan. 1 was temporarily blocked Tuesday by a federal judge who said the law is 'unconstitutional on its face.'
Northern Ont. suspect sentenced to house arrest five days before vicious attack on ex-girlfriend
The 18-year-old man accused in a vicious attack on his ex-girlfriend in Cobalt last week was sentenced to house arrest five days before the Nov. 3 assault.