Cambridge firefighters take fire safety to residents this fall

Starting this month, the Cambridge Fire Department will launch its annual Residential Fire and Life Safety Program. The program supports safer communities through fire prevention education, alarm awareness, and proactive outreach.

Throughout the fall, fire crews will go door-to-door in neighbourhoods across Cambridge to share valuable fire safety information, answer questions, and help ensure homes are protected with working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.

"Every year, preventable fires and carbon monoxide incidents continue to affect families across Ontario," said Eric Yates, Chief Fire Prevention Officer. "The most effective protection is a working smoke alarm, a working CO alarm, and a home escape plan that everyone knows how to do in the home.”

Under Ontario law, every home must have a working smoke alarm on each level of the house, and outside all sleeping areas. CO alarms are required in homes with fuel-burning appliances, fireplaces, or an attached garage. Residents should test alarms monthly; change batteries as needed and replace alarms according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

“With updated carbon monoxide alarm requirements now in effect, we encourage residents to take a few minutes to ensure their homes are compliant and to test their alarms every month. These simple actions can make all the difference in an emergency," said Yates.

For more than a decade, the Cambridge Fire Department’s Residential Fire and Life Safety Program has played an important role in reducing the risk of fires in the community. Through direct engagement with residents, firefighters help identify potential hazards, promote safe behaviours, and reinforce the importance of smoke and CO alarms and home fire escape planning.

To learn more about fire safety, visit cambridge.ca/FireSafety or follow the Cambridge Fire Department on Facebook, Instagram or Bluesky.

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