One of the most important things to do once arriving in a new home is to check to ensure the smoke alarms are operating properly or that your home indeed has smoke alarms. It is a known fact that Smoke Alarms Save Lives. Tragically, however, no smoke alarms, or no working smoke alarms, are the cause of three in five home fire deaths a year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
The Smoke Alarm for Every Family (S.A.F.E. Family) program has been in existence since 2015. Over the past few decades, fire alarms have saved countless lives and is a safety success story by every measure. In order for that success story to have an impact, however, smoke alarms need to be in places where they are needed, regularly tested, and maintained with working batteries. It is a simple procedure with a value that goes beyond monetary worth because it can literally save lives and prices can’t be put on that. It is also the law, as the Manitoba Fire Code requires that every home has working smoke alarms on each storey and outside all sleeping areas. Smoke alarms that are older than 10 years need replacing. It is also important to note that smoke alarms should never be disabled. Removing power to smoke alarms puts families and homes at risk.
According to the Office of the Fire Commissioner, fire departments create awareness of the S.A.F.E. Family program using information supplied by the Office of the Fire Commissioner, and work to identify homes that have at-risk citizens, including older adults, new Manitobans, young children, people with disabilities and low-income families. Personnel from fire departments install smoke alarms in eligible homes and perform a check on all alarms to verify they are in working condition. This also provides an opportunity for fire departments to encourage in-home awareness about fire safety topics like carbon monoxide detectors and creating/practicing a home fire escape plan.
Common causes of fires include unattended cooking in the kitchen, misuse of space heaters and portable heaters, damaged electrical cords, misuse of flammable liquids, grease, oil, and wax, and improper disposal of smoking material.
The Government of Canada’s “Get Prepared” website for emergency preparedness recommends testing smoke alarms each month by pressing the button until an alarm is sounded and if there is no button, the alarm is outdated and should be replaced. It also recommends following the alarm manufacturer’s recommendations for changing batteries or changing twice a year. Every two years, the cover should be removed and cleaned with a damp cloth and vacuumed. Every ten years, the alarm should be replaced as they all have expiration dates.
On June 5, the Manitoba government put out the following news release announcing the renewal of the Smoke Alarm for Every Family (S.A.F.E. Family) program:
Manitoba Government renews "Smoke Alarm for Every Family" program
The Manitoba government, through the Office of the Fire Commissioner, is once again offering the Smoke Alarm for Every Family (S.A.F.E. Family) program, in partnership with the Manitoba Firefighters’ Burn Fund, Municipal Relations Minister Andrew Smith announced today.
“The risk of dying in a reported home fire is reduced 50 per cent in homes with working smoke alarms,” said Smith. “Smoke alarms save lives — but they need to be properly installed, equipped with functioning batteries, and within their 10-year service life.”
The goal of the S.A.F.E. Family program is to save lives by protecting every home with a working smoke alarm and encouraging residents to make and practise a home fire escape plan.
Any homeowner without a working smoke alarm can apply to receive one. Only owner-occupied homes qualify for the S.A.F.E. Family program, since landlords are legally responsible for installing and maintaining smoke alarms in rental units.
Fire departments will focus on identifying homes with at-risk residents including older adults, newcomers to Canada, young children, people with disabilities, and low-income families.
“The recent rash of fires in both vacant and occupied residences points out the seriousness of the issue for the public and firefighters, along with the number of adults and children who are admitted each year with serious and life-threatening burn injuries” said Martin Johnson, chair, Firefighters’ Burn Fund of Manitoba. “The Firefighters' Burn Fund is pleased to be in partnership with the Office of the Fire Commissioner and Manitoba's fire departments in the delivery of this vital program.”
Since the program started in 2015, fire departments across the province have installed more than 7,500 smoke alarms in eligible homes, the minister noted.
Safety is always paramount but when buying and moving into a home or condominium, or renting an apartment — the last thing anyone would want is to lose it all to a fire. That is precisely why it’s important to have smoke alarms in places they can do their jobs while making sure smoke alarms are not used past 10 years and are regularly tested and maintained!
For more information on the S.A.F.E. Family program, contact a local fire department or visit www.manitoba.ca/safefamily.
Jeremy Davis is the Winnipeg Regional Real Estate Board’s Director External Relations & Market Intelligence.