C9

Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

With new statistics in Ontario showing that the number of cottage fires jumped 26 per cent from 2005-2006 and fire damage ballooned nearly 65 per cent to more than $11 million in the same period, the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) and cottage country fire departments are rolling out a major Fire Safety Outreach campaign, just as Canadians prepare to flock to their weekend retreats.

Enlarge Photo

"Before you can truly relax and enjoy the great outdoors, you need to know your family is fire-safe," says Patrick Burke, President of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs. "Should a fire break out in cottage country, you need maximum time to escape. So start the new season right, by making sure all your smoke alarms are less than 10 years old and have fresh batteries. Being extra vigilant can prevent fire tragedy."

The startling new statistics involving seasonal dwellings in Ontario is a trend that cottage country fire safety officials would like to see stopped. Continuing public education is key, they believe, since a recent national poll also showed that more than 50 per cent of suburban homeowners admit to having tampered with their smoke alarms, and 75 per cent incorrectly believe their smoke alarms last forever. They want to put an end to similar trends in seasonal properties.

Ironically, although most residents look to cottages as places to relax and forget about the stresses of the work-week, having working smoke alarms and an escape plan at leisure properties is just as vital if not more so than in suburban homes, due to a seasonal property's often remote location.

The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs is rallying Fire Departments across the county to mount community outreach initiatives throughout the busy cottage opening long weekend period. Grassroots activities are planned, including media announcements, and fire prevention education displays, and public services spots are airing in cities that feed cottage markets all across the province. A cottage fire safety brochure and checklist is posted for cottagers to download at www.safeathome.ca.

Escaping for some summer fun requires the same amount of fire safety diligence that living in the city does, according to cottage country Fire Officials. That means working smoke alarms on every cottage level and outside sleeping areas and at least one CO alarm if you have a fireplace, woodstove, gas water heater or any gas or propane appliances.

Fire safety may be the furthest thing from your mind when surrounded by water, but there is always a risk of fire on boats too. A fire extinguisher is required for marine use. Which type of extinguisher you need depends on the size of your watercraft and provincial regulations in your area. You should not store your fire extinguisher on your watercraft over the winter. If you do, check to ensure it is still fully charged when you return your boat to the water. If not, replace it immediately.

Often over-looked, especially for renters, is the extreme importance of having instant access to the address, township and fire emergency number. Calls to emergency are often untraceable by fire departments because they are frequently made on cell phones or internet phones. This makes it critical to give full address information to 911 so they know which fire station to summons. When internet (voip) phones are used they typically have the subscriber's phone address associated with the number, not the cottage address.