Fire Prevention Week is October 6-12, 2024. This year’s FPW campaign, “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!”
Get Involved
Sunday, October 6
We’re excited to welcome you to our annual Fire Prevention Week Open House at the CBS Fire Department, Station 1, Kelligrews.
Spark Your Interest with:
Truck Tours
Bouncy Castle
Tattoos
Sparky the Fire Dog
Meet Our Firefighters
And More!
Special Sensory/Quiet Hour:
Join us from 1:00 – 2:00 PM for a quieter experience designed for those with sensory sensitivities.
When: Sunday, October 6 Where: Station 1, Kelligrews Time: 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. (Sensory/Quiet Hour: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.)
Please Note: If you’re feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you skip the event to keep everyone safe and healthy.
Contest is now closed.
Congratulations to Brody P., a student at Admirals Academy, for winning the 2024 Fire Chief for a Day contest!
Calling all Conception Bay South students in grades K-4!!
As we are super busy during Fire Prevention Week, Fire Chief Heffernan is looking for someone to help him with his job duties. If you want to see what it’s like to be the Fire Chief, fill out the online form below for your chance to win.
Our Fire Chief for a Day winner will be treated to the following: Picked up and brought to school in our fire truck. Escorted to his classroom by firefighters. Picked up and treated to lunch. After lunch, we will return the winner to school and return at the end of the day to pick him up from school. The winner will receive a special prize package and all classmates will receive fire prevention bags. The winner will also be invited to attend our open house as our guest of honor. In addition, the entire class will be treated to a pizza party at an agreed upon time.
Students applying must be in grades K-4 and attend school within Conception Bay South. When the winner is picked, we will reach out to the parent contact for confirmation. Winners first name and last initial and school will be announced on social media.
** Activities listed are subject to operational requirements**
This contest is open to children ages 5 and under who are residents of Conception Bay South. Submit your entry through our online form by Tuesday, October 15, 2024 and your name will be entered for a chance to win a Fire Prevention Week prize!
**The coloring contest for students in grades K-4 must be returned to the school. This online submission is for ages 5 and under and is a different contest. **
Our goal this year is to stress the importance of working smoke alarms in your home. You could have as little as two minutes to get out safely once the smoke alarms sound. Working smoke alarms give you early warnings so you can get outside quickly.
What can you do?
When choosing a smoke alarm, it is important to purchase a smoke alarm that is listed by a qualified testing laboratory. The two most common types of smoke alarms are ionization and photoelectric alarms.
For the best protection, or where extra time is needed to wake up or help others, both types of alarms or dual sensor ionization-photoelectric alarms are recommended.
An ionization smoke alarm is more responsive to flaming fires and a photoelectric smoke alarm is more responsive to smoldering fires.
Photoelectric smoke alarms are the best type of alarms to be installed near the kitchen and bathrooms to reduce nuisance alarms
Installation
Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area (like a hallway), and on each level (including the basement) of the home.
When installing, follow the instructions that come with the smoke alarm. For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms. When one sounds, they all sound. It is important to have interconnected smoke alarms if you sleep with the bedroom doors closed.
A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall.
Testing and Maintenance
Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning to keep smoke alarms working.
Replacement
Smoke alarms with nonreplaceable (long-life) batteries are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
For smoke alarms that do not have non-replaceable (long-life) batteries, replace batteries at least once a year. If the alarm chirps, replace only the battery.
Smoke and CO alarms for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
There are special alarms and devices to ensure everyone can be alerted in case of fire or high CO levels.
When the smoke alarm sounds, strobe lights flash to alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing of a possible fire when they are awake.
When they are asleep, a pillow or bed shaker should be used to wake and alert them to fire conditions so they can escape. This device is activated by the sound of a standard smoke alarm.
People who are deaf may find that the shaker paired with a high-intensity strobe light is helpful to wake them.
Smoke and CO alarms can be installed that use a low frequency sound. These will work better to wake a sleeping person who has mild to severe hearing loss.
These special devices and alarms can also signal when the battery is low.
Research the different products and select the ones that fit the needs of the people in your home. These can be easily installed without a professional. Products can be found in home improvement stores, online, and on manufacturer websites. Pick devices that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory, which is often disclosed on the product’s packaging.
Make a Plan
Everyone in the home should know the sounds and signals of the smoke and CO alarms. When the alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Have an outside meeting place to make sure that everyone gets out safely.
Call 9-1-1 from outside your home from a mobile phone or a trusted neighbor’s phone.
What else can families do at home to help promote fire safety?
Online Learning Visit www.sparky.org, which is Sparky the Fire Dog’s very own website, to find lots of educational and fun content for children. You can also visit the Town’s YouTube Channel to watch important safety videos from our very own firefighters!
Smoke and CO Detectors Check all fire detectors in your home to ensure they are working. Detectors have a manufacture’s expiration date; usually it is 10 years, typically found on the back around the battery compartment. Change the batteries twice year. If you have an elderly family member or neighbour, offer to check their detectors and change the batteries.
Homes that require a carbon monoxide detector are homes that burn fuels such as gas, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil and methane. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odourless, colorless gas. The only chance at detecting this gas in your home is with a carbon monoxide detector. Change the batteries twice a year. A good reminder for changing batteries in your home smoke or CO detectors is to do so when we change the clocks for daylight savings time.
Visible House Numbers Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the road and that it is not obstructed by trees, bushes, etc. First responders rely on house numbering to help guide them to an emergency.
Presentations & Resources The Fire Department offers virtual presentations. If you would like to schedule a presentation, please contact the Fire Department at 834-6500 ext. 801. You can also pre-order safety materials, available for pickup at Fire Department Station 1 in Topsail.
Safety Tip Sheets Please review our safety tip sheets. In the event of a fire, ensure everyone is aware of a meeting place. Know two ways out of every room and practice your home fire escape plan. Teach young children not to hide and prepare them for firefighters to look different when they are wearing their fire protection.
