FIRE PREVENTION WEEK – "SMOKE ALARMS: A SOUND YOU CAN LIVE WITH"

Corrections, Public Safety and Policing Minister D.F. (Yogi) Huyghebaert together with Acting Director of Fire Services for Regina Fire & Protective Services Gerard Kay and Mme Dancsok's Grade 3/4 French Immersion students from École St. Angela Merici kicked off Fire Prevention Week, which runs from October 3-9.

This year's theme is "Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With".

"It reminds us how important it is to have smoke alarms in our homes and to take a few minutes to make sure they are working," Huyghebaert said. "The early warning of a smoke alarm can be a lifesaver."

"Families in Regina and throughout Saskatchewan have seen the tragedy of fire far too often," Kay said. "It's hard to believe, but a family has only about three minutes to escape before a fire becomes deadly. Without the warning of a smoke alarm, your family will not likely survive."

Working smoke alarms provide the early warning of fire so that people have those extra seconds needed to escape a fire emergency.

It's important to have working smoke alarms on every storey of the home, including the basement and outside all sleeping areas. Yet, all too often the fire service in Saskatchewan responds to fires in homes with no working smoke alarms. Statistics show that many homes have smoke alarms that aren't working or maintained properly, usually because of missing, disconnected or dead batteries.

Follow these tips to make sure smoke alarms are maintained and working properly:

• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in your home knows their sound.
• Replace batteries once a year, or when an alarm "chirps," warning the battery is low.
• Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they're 10 years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.
• Never remove or disable a smoke alarm.

More information on fire safety is available from the Office of the Fire Commissioner at www.cpsp.gov.sk.ca/OFC.

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For more information, contact:

Desirae Bernreuther
Corrections, Public Safety and Policing
Regina
Phone: 306-787-2626
Email: desirae.bernreuther@gov.sk.ca