Saved by the Beep by Peri Hayes On September 13th, the County Fire Chiefs met at the Malahide South Station (Station 5) on John Wise Line and Imperial Road for a kick-off of their new smoke alarm campaign. The campaign encourages residents of the City of St. Thomas, the Town of Aylmer, and the Townships and Municipalities within the County of Elgin to test their smoke alarms on September 28th as part of Test Your Smoke Alarm Day. Participants were invited to take a picture with their loved ones testing their smoke alarms, and to post it to social media using the #SavedByTheBeep hashtag. Along with fire service partners across the province, the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) is asking Ontarians to test their smoke alarms regularly. Raymond Ormerod, Director of Fire Rescue Services and Fire Chief with Central Elgin, offers, “It is hoped that this program and fire safety will be taken seriously by residents.” Aman Kainth, Senior Manager of Public Education and Communication at the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency
Management, details the horrific truth that 133 lives were lost to fires last year. This is the highest number of fatalities in over 20 years. In many of these cases, a working smoke alarm was not present on the property. Saved by the Beep is a fun and informative campaign intended to ensure safety and is a reminder to have smoke alarms installed in your home, as well as to confirm that they are functioning properly. An array of informative literature is accessible on the Saved by the Beep website, which has been translated into the top 19 languages in Canada. It is crucial — and can even be life-saving — for residents to examine their fire alarm every month, as well as to prepare efficient fire escape plans. Aman expresses her hope for citizens to routinely practice these habits. Contact your local fire department for assistance with checking your alarm, and visit savedbythebeep.ca for more information about this imperative initiative.
October 8th – 14th is Fire Prevention Week. This year’s theme is
Cooking Safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention!
Fire Chiefs from around Elgin gather to kick off the Saved by the Beep Campaign. September 28th was Test Your Smoke Alarm Day. Names from left to right: Todd McKone – Director of Emergency Services/Fire Chief, Aylmer Fire Department. Raymond Ormerod – Director of Fire Rescue Services/ Fire Chief/CEMC, Central Elgin. Jeff Spoor - Director of Fire & Emergency Services/Fire Chief, Township of Malahide. Aman Kainth – Senior Manager of Public Education, OFM. Jeff McArthur – Director of Emergency Services/Fire Chief, Township of Southwold and Municipality of West Elgin. Harry Baranik – Director of Fire & Emergency Services/Fire Chief, Municipality of Bayham, Dave Gregory – Fire Chief, City of St. Thomas
Be sure to check your smoke and CO alarms expiry date and change the batteries! Ray Ormerod Director of Fire Rescue Services/Fire Chief (519) 631- 4860 Ext. 249 r ormerod@centralelgin.org
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Port Stanley Villager • October 2023 • Page 11
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