Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Members of Greater Napanee Emergency Services’ fire department will be going door-to-door over the next couple of weekends to check smoke alarms throughout the community.
After a two-year pause in the door-to-door inspection program due to COVID-19, the service returns and will run on weekends throughout the spring and summer.
“You don’t have to let us in, if we do find problems we’ll advise you on what needs to be fixed,” explains GNES fire prevention officer Kevin Duncan. “We will have alarms with us so we can replace alarms for a fee. If you need batteries, absolutely we’ll replace batteries for free and give you advice for protection in your home.”
The purpose of the visits isn’t to issue fines, but rather to ensure as many homes have working smoke alarms as possible. Duncan says firefighters in Greater Napanee, as well as others across the province, have reported an increase in the number of incidents without a working smoke alarm. Those numbers have risen since the door-to-door campaign was halted.
“There’s been a lot of fatalities this year (across Ontario). Most of the time it’s because of lack of smoke alarms,” said Duncan.
That increase is blamed on the combination of more people staying home during the pandemic coupled with fewer in home inspections prior to a fire.
GNES’ goal is to visit 1,000 homes over the next couple of months. The visits will typically take place between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.