It is that time of year again !!.. Our children are coming home with their report cards proudly displayed as they walk in the front door, or with some tucking them into the bottom of their back pack because they don’t want us to see them.

It is also time for me to distribute the Fire Services evaluation of smoke alarm compliance.

I am sad to say that this years grade is an “F”.

Public education member have launched our door to door smoke alarm program, targeting the Crescent Park area, and have been very disappointed in what they have found.

Of the 50 homes checked, 10 required smoke alarms (either missing in an area or not there completely) and 11 required batteries (either missing or dead).

Ontario’s average runs at about 18% of homes without working smoke alarms, Fort Erie has always been around the 21%. The current compliance for this year is 42% of the homes visited were either missing or had non-functioning smoke alarms.  Hence the failing grade.

The Fort Erie Fire Department has a zero tolerance approach to smoke alarm violations when there is a fire.  Recently, four property owners and/or tenants were fined over $ 8,000 for not having a working smoke alarm in their homes, after having a fire.

The smoke alarm program volunteers will attend your home, inspect it for the required smoke alarms, test existing alarms, and even replace detectors that do not work.  This program is free, and no charges will be laid in the event that we find violations.  BUT, if you have a fire and we find you are not in compliance, we will be laying the appropriate charges.

Please contact the Fort Erie Fire Department at 905-871-1600 ext 2601 to book an appointment for a free home visit.

If our children came home with a report card that contained failing grades, we would be disappointed.  As such, the fire department is disappointed with the result of our inspections to date.

Please take the time to make sure you are in compliance, and lets shoot for a better grade next term.