Sunday marks the beginning of Fire Prevention Week, reminding everyone to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families in the case of a fire.
The slogan for this year is "Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety", educating the public about the different sounds that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms make.
"The most important thing we can talk about is that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are the first step in detection and to warn you and your family to evacuate your home to safety," says Dryden Fire Chief Chris Wood
Understanding the difference between the sounds a fire/carbon monoxide alarm can save you, your home and family. Hear a chirp, make a change. Replace the battery or the entire unit if it's over 10 years old. If you're not sure how old it is - replace it. Hear a beep, get on your feet, get out and call 911.
"You must have one on every level of your home and outside the areas that you sleep. Make sure to test them every month and make sure they're up to date - it's the law. You have make sure that you can hear them and have a fire escape plan so we're ready to act," Wood adds.
The Dryden Fire Service has been out in the community conducting their fire alarm campaign and Wood says the outcome was surprising.
"Our last outing wasn't a good sign. We only had 44 per cent of homeowners who were compliant with their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms," he said.
The Dryden Fire Service will work with homeowners to make sure they have the correct number and type of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for their home and that they are all working.
The DFS will host its annual Fire Prevention Safety Night on Wednesday, October 6 at the fire station and will run from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. with many activities for the whole family to enjoy with COVID-19 protocols in effect.