The City of Campbell River (the City) Fire Department is reminding residents about the importance of working smoke alarms in homes. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire research has demonstrated that with today’s modern furnishings, fires spread much more rapidly than in the past when more natural materials were used.

“Regularly testing and changing smoke alarm batteries is quite possibly the easiest, most affordable way to save lives,” says Fire Chief Dan Verdun. “Fire and smoke spread incredibly fast. You may have as little as one or two minutes to escape a fire. Please make a habit of installing new batteries in your smoke alarms every year to encourage early detection. We recommend having a smoke alarm in every bedroom, outside every sleeping area, and on each floor of your home.”

If you haven’t changed your smoke alarm batteries yet this year, now is the perfect time. The Campbell River Fire Department recommends replacing smoke alarm batteries and checking carbon monoxide detectors each spring or fall, with the time change. Clocks will “fall back” one hour for the end of Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, November 5, 2023.

To keep your smoke alarms working their best, follow the “once-a-month, once-a-year, once-a-decade” rule: test your smoke alarms once a month, replace smoke alarm batteries once a year, and replace smoke alarms every 10 years.

To help keep the community safe, it has been regular practice for Campbell River’s firefighting crews to provide a working smoke alarm or fresh battery when they find a home that is unprotected by a smoke alarm during the course of their duties.

“Although the precise number is uncertain, this program has benefitted many residents in our community by supplying and installing hundreds of smoke alarms in homes over the years,” says Fire Chief Verdun. “Pioneer Home Hardware Building Centre recently donated 25 smoke alarms to the Campbell River Fire Department, and I thank them for their support of this important, life-saving program.”

For more information, visit campbellriver.ca/fire or call the Campbell River Fire Department at 250-286-6266.

Photo, taken by Jessica Grafton, Pioneer Home Hardware Building Centre: Mackenzie Caley, Manager of Pioneer Home Hardware Building Centre (left) and Craig Idiens, Fire Prevention Officer, City of Campbell River Fire Department (right).
Pioneer Home Hardware Building Centre Donates Smoke Alarms to City Fire Department - Photo by Jessica Grafton, Pioneer Home Hardware