Letters to the editor...Every floor will soon require smoke alarms

Dear editor, Re: Smoke alarm law reminder. Every year in Ontario, people die in fires that could have been prevented. These fires occur in homes and communities just like Halton Hills. Tragically, in many of these fatal fires, there is no smoke alarm warning to alert the occupants and give them the precious seconds they need to safely evacuate their home. As Chief of Fire Prevention and Public Education of Halton Hills, I am very disturbed by these facts because I know that most home fires can be prevented by taking care when cooking, smoking, using candles or heating your home. I also know that most of those lives could have been saved if the homeowners had installed smoke alarms in their homes and kept them in good working order. Halton Hills Fire Protection & Prevention Services will do everything within our power to prevent a fire tragedy from happening in Halton Hills. I urge all residents of Halton Hills to make sure they have working smoke alarms on every storey of their home and outside all sleeping areas. This is the law in Ontario and this fire department will be enforcing it. For homeowners, tenants and individual landlords, non-compliance with the Fire Code smoke alarm requirements will result in a ticket for $235 or a fine up to $50,000. Compare this with the cost of a smoke alarm, which can be as little as $10. When someone dies in a fire, it is not only a tremendous loss to the family but the fire department and the entire community. I never want to read in the pages of this newspaper about a resident of Halton Hills dying in a fire. Help protect yourself and your family from fire by installing the required number of smoke alarms, testing them each month and replacing the batteries at least once a year. Any questions, please feel free to call me at 905-873-2601 ext. 2102. Harry Olivieri, Chief of Fire Prevention and Public Education