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By Jaryn Vecchio

Preventing Emergencies

P.A. fire department focusing on carbon monoxide during national fire prevention week

Oct 4, 2021 | 11:00 AM

Fire departments across the country will be educating residents in their communities about fire safety.

‘Fire Prevention Week’ officially kicked off on Sunday and goes until Saturday.

In Prince Albert, the focus won’t be on fires but rather carbon monoxide. All homes in Saskatchewan must have a detector starting on July 1, 2022.

Carbon monoxide is a tasteless and odourless gas that starts as a result of ‘incomplete combustion.’

Fire chief Kris Olsen told paNOW many people don’t realize they could be put in a dangerous situation.

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“Everyone’s got a furnace, everyone’s got a heater and the potential is there for a release of carbon monoxide.”

He adds once the weather gets colder, his department gets weekly calls about potential carbon monoxide poisoning.

According to the Government of Saskatchewan, around 1,200 CO incidents were reported to SaskEnergy annually from 2018 to 2020.

From 2015 to 2019, the Saskatchewan Coroners Service recorded 16 deaths from accidental CO poisoning.

“The health, welfare, and safety of residents in their homes is a priority in building safe communities and a strong Saskatchewan,” said Don McMorris, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Government Relations.

“Requiring all residential buildings to have working CO and smoke alarms ensures you and your family are better protected against these dangerous substances.”

Meanwhile, the theme for this year’s prevention week is ‘learn the sounds of fire safety.’

Olsen notes they also plan to merge this theme into their messaging.

“If your alarm begins to chirp, it means your batteries are running low and need to be replaced. If the alarm continues to chirp and the batteries have been replaced, or the alarm is over 10 years old, it’s time to replace the alarm.”

During the winter months, the Canadian Red Cross claims the leading cause of fires is heating equipment like portable space heaters.

They also state most fires usually happen when an open flame or heat source is left unsupervised.

This includes leaving a hot stove or burning a candle unattended and not properly putting a cigarette out.

“In as little as 30 seconds, a small flame can grow into a dangerous fire,” read a statement of the Canadian Red Cross website.

“Within minutes, an entire home can be filled with black smoke and large flames.”

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow