Public ignoring smoke alarm law, says fire marshal

Alarm required on every floor

Fire departments across Ontario have pledged to step up enforcement of the province's smoke alarm law that was introduced one year ago by levying $235 tickets and fines that could reach $50,000. The new legislation-- that requires a working smoke alarm to be placed on every level of a home and outside sleeping areas-- is already helping to reduce fire deaths. But safety officials say statistics show the public is still taking unnecessary risks. "It's frustrating that homeowners are not taking this law seriously and recognizing the importance of smoke alarms," said outgoing Ontario fire marshal Bernard Moyle in a recent statement. "People are dying because of this." The Ontario Fire Marshal's Office reported that of 28 fatal fires in the province between March and November of last year where smoke alarm performance was documented, smoke alarms were not installed in 12. In another three of the fatal fires, batteries had been removed from smoke alarms. Statistics like these have motivated the call for prosecution of offenders. The zero tolerance approach is already being enforced. In some regions more than $1 million in fines and tickets have been levied. In many cases landlords, too, have been fined for not providing working smoke alarms in rental units. New technologies found in today's smoke alarms virtually eliminate reasons why homeowners and landlords would not comply with the law. "Homeowners can find everything from units with batteries that last 10 years, to hush features that silence those nuisance alarms when you burn your toast, to combination alarms that monitor both smoke and carbon monoxide levels," says Carol Heller, vice-president of new product innovation at Kidde Canada, North America's leading manufacturer of fire safety products. "So there is no excuse to put yourself at risk of dying in a fire. Alarms give you precious seconds to escape." More information on smoke alarm features and installation tips can be found on the www.SafeAtHome.ca website. Smoke alarm legislation and details are located at Fire Marshal's website at www.ofm.gov.on.ca.