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SMOKE AL LARMS: MAKE THEM WORK FOR YOU!™
Wellington North fire official offers safety tips for the holidays WELLINGTON NORTH – As the weather turns colder in the coming months, it is important to remember the threat of residential fires. According to Statistics Canada, between 2011 and 2020 the highest average incidents of accidental fire-related fatalities by month occurred in January (210), February (180), March (195) and December (165). Decorate responsibly With Halloween and Christmas right around the corner it is essential that homeowners decorate responsibly this holiday season. North Wellington deputy fire chief Marco Guidotti says something as simple as using a damaged or improper extension cord can have devastating effects. “You have to watch out for extension cords,” said Guidotti. “If they are frayed and damaged or if you are using an indoor extension cord outside, they can cause problems.” The primary difference between an indoor and outdoor extension cord is the
amount of insulation around the wiring. Cords for outdoor use will typically use a bright vinyl or plastic covering to protect against the elements. Outdoor extension cords typically have three pronged plugs, with the third prong serving as a grounding wire to reduce the risk of electric shock or fire. Guidotti also warns against using damaged holiday decorations. “Make sure the lights that you are putting up are not damaged, and make sure you’re not overloading your electrical circuits,” he said. Each string should be checked for frayed wires, cracked sockets, nicks in the cord, or loose connections before hanging holiday decorations and lights. Using damaged decorations and lights may cause electrical short circuits, leading to electric fires, and any damage to electrical cords could pose a risk of electric shock. Staying warm Proper fireplace maintenance and space heater safety is important when staying warm in the winter months.
“With fireplaces and space heaters keep a three-foot radius around it, front and back. Just to be safe, don’t put anything combustible close, and keep it on something like a hard surface,” said Guidotti. Space heaters are often responsible for the most losses in home heating equipment fires – for example, in the U.S. they accounted for nearly nine out of 10 deaths and four out of five injuries from 2016 to 2020. Chimneys should be cleaned and inspected by a qualified professional each year and all fireplaces should have a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Fireplace users should let ashes completely cool before transferring them into a metal container placed at least 10 feet away from your home. Safety devices “The most important thing is to make sure your smoke alarms are working, said Guidotti. “Homes now within a very short amount of time, within three minutes, can be engulfed. It can almost be impossible to exit your home at that point.” Guidotti says it is impera-
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SMOKE ALARMS Up in flames – Logs burning on a fire. tive to keep up-to-date with your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Smoke alarms, when going off, will give off three quick beeps; carbon monoxide detectors will give off four. One beep means the battery in your device need to be
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changed immediately. Other safety equipment includes fire blankets, fire extinguishers, second storey escape ladders, and window breakers. However, Guidotti says the best thing you can do for your safety is to maintain a clean
and clutter free home. “Keep your front door clear and if you have a back door keep that clear as well,” he said. “Just regular maintenance and keeping things clear.” For more information on fire safety visit oafc.on.ca/public-safety or nfpa.org.
MAKE THEM WORK FOR YOU Riding in style – Close up of an e-bike battery.
Wellington North deputy chief warns against e-bike battery modification
Farmers urged to focus on fire prevention as part of winter prep ONTARIO – Every year, farm fires result in tens of millions of dollars in losses to buildings, businesses and farm animals; and the financial losses don’t
take into account the toll on farm families. Fire is always a threat on Ontario farms, but the good news is that there are ways to reduce the risk they pose. Barn fires in particular are a serious concern, especially during
colder winter temperatures. That’s because cold weather increases condensation on cold surfaces, and the corrosive mixture of barn gasses and moisture invades the electrical system. The increased use of heating equipment also poses
risks of ignition with gas heaters, for example. Regardless of time of year, though, some of the biggest fire risks in farm buildings come from dust and cobwebs, extension cords and heaters, and electrical plugs, receptacles
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and panels. The increasing size and high-tech nature of modern farm facilities, including livestock barns, also mean losses are higher when disaster strikes – according to Ontario Fire Marshal statistics, those range between $20 – 30 million annually. That’s why, earlier this year, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture began partnering with the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs to share resources and promote fire safety and prevention on Ontario farms. I’m a dairy farmer just north of Trenton, and I also represent farmers in Hastings, Lennox and Addington, Northumberland and Prince
Edward counties as a director on the board of the OFA. Fire prevention is a 365-days-a year job, but as we are working to get our farms ready for winter, it’s a great time to put a little extra effort into protecting our businesses. It can be hard to know where to start, so a fire prevention inspection by a professional from the local fire department or your insurance provider can be a great help. Nobody likes the idea of an inspection per se, but these individuals can offer a wealth of pointers and ideas about little things that can make big difference in fire prevention – and they are just as interested SEE FARMERS » 8
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Desjardins Insurance refers to Certas Home and Auto Insurance Company, underwriter of automobile and property insurance or Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company, underwriter of life insurance and living benefits products. Desjardins, Desjardins Insurance and related trademarks are trademarks of the Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec, used under licence.
WELLINGTON NORTH – Wellington North deputy fire chief Marco Guidotti warns e-bike users against battery modifications. He says modifying these batteries can have dangerous consequences. “People are modifying them [e-bikes] to make them charge faster,” Guidotti said. “And trust me, they’re violent when they burn.” The call for more ecofriendly and sustainable transportation options has grown in the last few years and with it the market for electric vehicles. According to Rize Bikes Canada, the Canadian e-bike market was valued at around $240 million in 2022 and is expected to exceed $345 million by 2025. Rize Bikes Canada also states that 70,000 e-bikes were
sold in Canada in 2022 with numbers projected to increase to over 100,000 units annually by next year. With their growing popularity has come a new trend of battery modifications, with YouTube tutorials and TikTok pages dedicated to these modifications. E-bike batteries can be modified to make the bike charge faster and move faster, with most of these modifications calling for non ULC (Canadian safety testing and certification) regulated batteries. “The key is to keep it on the charging system that came with it,” said Guidotti. “Once you start modifying it the battery becomes unsafe.” While e-bike lithium battery fires are not as common as other types of fires, Guidotti says he has responded to a call locally that involved a modified e-bike lithium battery.
“It was not an approved battery that came from overseas,” said Guidotti. “It was a brandnew battery that was modified and it caught fire in their living room; thankfully nobody was home.” Guidotti says while e-bike lithium battery fires are not ideal in any situation, he says apartment buildings pose a larger risk than houses. “If you have a home, that’s one thing, but when you’re in an apartment building you have to look at all the other people you’re going to affect if something happens,” said Guidotti. “Apartment buildings don’t have a place to store e-bikes and scooters, and the most common place is right in front of the door, which poses a huge safety concern.” Information on safe e-bike usage and battery care can be found on the Health Canada website.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO LEARN THE DIFFERENT SOUNDS OF SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS. 8IFO BO BMBSN NBLFT OPJTFÿB CFFQJOH TPVOE PS B DIJSQJOH TPVOEÿZPV NVTU UBLF BDUJPO .BLF TVSF FWFSZPOF JO UIF IPNF VOEFSTUBOET UIF TPVOET PG UIF BMBSNT BOE LOPXT IPX UP SFTQPOE 5P MFBSO UIF TPVOET PG ZPVS TQFDJGJD TNPLF BOE DBSCPO NPOPYJEF BMBSNT DIFDL UIF NBOVGBDUVSFS T JOTUSVDUJPOT UIBU DBNF JO UIF CPY PS TFBSDI UIF CSBOE BOE NPEFM POMJOF
Here are some safety tips to help you learn the sounds of fire safety
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