Firefighters knocking on Newmarket doors to teach safety

Central York Fire Services' Stay Fire Smart campaign informs residents how to best prepare for an emergency and offers a free home inspection July 25 to end of August

Newmarkettoday.ca
July 26, 2023
Joseph Quigley

Newmarket firefighters may soon be knocking on your door to teach you about best practices for fire safety.

Central York Fire Services has launched its ninth annual Stay Fire Smart campaign July 25. Until the end of August, fire crews will visit neighbourhoods in Newmarket and Aurora to educate about home escape plans, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

"The best way to attack a fire is to prevent it, which starts with public education,” CYFS Fire Chief Ian Laing said in a news release. “There are steps we can all take today to better prepare ourselves and loved ones to act when the time counts in a fire emergency.”

The annual campaign began in 2013, with the goal of visiting every home in Newmarket and Aurora over five years. That has been achieved, with CYFS making more than 73,249 education house calls across both communities, reaching every household at least once. The fire department has added two smoke alarm campaign specialists this year to “further spread the fire safety message.”

The fire crews are talking with residents about how to best prepare for an emergency and offering a free home inspection.

The fire department recommends having and practising a home escape plan to be prepared in the event of a fire. It also notes the law to have working smoke alarms on every floor and carbon monoxide alarms outside all sleeping areas in a home.

“The Stay Fire Smart campaign is an opportunity to speak one on one with our community and to have a direct impact to improve fire safety home by home,” Laing said.

You can request a free fire safety home inspection by calling 905-895-9222, where smoke alarm specialists will check batteries, replace alarms and offer assistance. Those specialists will also be out in the community at events.

For more information about the campaign, you can visit cyfs.ca.