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Merritt Fire Rescue Conducts Smoke Detector Campaign

FEBRUARY to MARCH 2025  |  WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

Merritt Fire Rescue will be conducting a door-to-door FireSafe: Ignite Awareness, Extinguish Fires campaign from February to March 2025. You will see Firefighters on our streets, offering residents free Fire Safety Assessments and if applicable a Free 10-year lithium-ion battery Smoke Alarm.

During these in-person visits, our local firefighters will be offering fire safety information, advising on the proper location of smoke alarms, testing alarms, and, if warranted, installing one new smoke alarm for eligible residents.  Please note that our crews cannot replace hard-wired smoke alarms.

Merritt Fire Rescue will begin this campaign focusing on specific target areas within the city. (View the map below). If residents in these target areas are unavailable when Merritt Fire Rescue is implementing their door-to-door campaign, our firefighters will leave behind informational brochures. Residents in these areas are encouraged to contact Merritt Fire Rescue to schedule an assessment during regular office hours from Monday to Friday.

The emphasis of this campaign is to provide one free smoke alarm to homes without smoke alarms, and those with expired or non-functional alarms. A total of 198 smoke alarms are available for eligible residents (one per household). This program applies only to single-family homes, including mobile homes, and excludes apartment complexes, as building safety responsibilities fall to property owners.

Once target areas are addressed, the program will open to other regions of Merritt, contingent on remaining supplies. Participation in this program involves granting the Fire Department entry into your home and signing a waiver.

This program is a collaboration between the British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit, part of the BC Centre for Disease Control, and the Office of the Fire Commissioner, under the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The campaign will conclude by March 31, 2025, or earlier if supplies are exhausted.

Residents are encouraged to participate and take advantage of this valuable program to enhance their household fire safety. The ultimate aim of the FireSafe: Ignite Awareness, Extinguish Fires campaign is to have a working smoke alarm in every home in BC.

PRELIMINARY TARGET AREAS

The City of Merritt does not make any warranties or representations about the Equipment, Services, or Support. In relation to the Equipment, the City of Merritt specifically disclaims any representations, warranties, or conditions (whether express or implied, statutory or other) of merchantability, merchantable quality, accuracy, durability, or fitness or use for a particular purpose and all warranties arising from course of dealing or usage.

Burn Awareness Week  |  February 2-8, 2025

This week is a time to raise awareness about burn prevention and safer living spaces. The theme for 2025 is “Burn Prevention Starts Where You Live”.

National Burn Awareness Week

National Fire Prevention Association

Prevent Fire Injuries and Deaths at Home

The vast majority of injuries and deaths at home are caused by residential structure fires. Having a working smoke alarm is the most effective way to keep yourself and your family safe from fire, and fire injuries and deaths.

When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast.  Seconds matter. A working smoke alarm gives people an early warning so they can get outside quickly.

Smoke alarms should be installed on all levels of your home, both inside and outside sleeping areas, and even in the basement. Larger homes may need extra smoke alarms. People who are hard of hearing or deaf may want to use special alarms. These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers.

It is important to test smoke alarms at least once a year, and replace them at least every 10 years—check the expiry sticker on the alarm.

In addition to a working smoke detector, these other preventive efforts can protect you and your family from fire injuries and deaths:

  • Close doors. This small action may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.
  • Properly extinguish and dispose of all smoking materials in large, deep ashtrays—NOT in garbage cans.
  • Keep flammable materials away from any source of heat—fires don’t need a flame to start.
  • Practice your home escape plan so everyone knows what to do if a fire occurs.
  • Offer to test the smoke alarms of elderly family members, friends, and neighbours.

Visit Preventable.ca

Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week is an annual initiative focused on promoting fire and burn prevention. The latest campaign focuses on Smoke Alarms. According to NFPA, smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half (54 percent). Meanwhile, roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Learn about Smoke Alarms and how to make them work for you!

NFPA’s Fire Prevention Week website

Recycle your Smoke & CO Alarms

You can drop off your expired or broken smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms to Product Care Recycling through hundreds of locations throughout the province.

RECYCLING LOCATIONS FOR MERRITT

 

ACCEPTED MATERIALS

  • Smoke alarms
  • Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms
  • Combination smoke/CO alarms

Learn More: Product Care Recycling

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