Time to change batteries in your smoke alarms

One year ago, an amendment to the Fire Code came into effect, requiring Ontario homes to have smoke alarms on every storey, as well as outside all sleeping areas. The Ontario Fire Marshal would like to remind everyone that it's time to change the batteries in all those new smoke alarms.

"The batteries in smoke alarms need to be replaced once a year, or if the lowbattery warning chirps," said Patrick Burke, Ontario Fire Marshal. "With the clocks changing March 11, this is the perfect time to also change the batteries in all your smoke alarms."

A recent review of provincial fire loss data indicates that 79% of homes that experience a fire had a smoke alarm installed. However, these smoke alarms activated in less than half - 47% - of these fires. One of the primary reasons that smoke alarms don't work is because people remove the batteries because of frequent nuisance alarms caused by cooking activities or steam from a shower.

Tampering with, or removing the batteries from your smoke alarms is against the law. Contact the Town of Caledon fire department for advice.