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Fire Prevention and Safety

Please be aware that the Township of The Archipelago DOES NOT provide for the delivery of fire protection services.

The Township undertakes fire prevention and public education, ensuring that all citizens are aware and informed.

Please click on the links below for information regarding fire prevention and safety.

Fire Prevention and Public Education - 2019 Association Meetings Presentation

Smoke Alarm Program

Only working smoke alarms can save your life!!

Every home in Ontario must have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas.   It's the Law!!

Have you ever seen just how quick fire and smoke can spread? Click here to watch this 3 minute video which shows how important working smoke alarms and home escape plan are. 

Home owners:

  • It is the responsibility of homeowners to install and maintain smoke alarms on every storey of the home and outside sleeping areas.

Landlords:

  • It is the responsibility of the landlords to ensure their rental properties comply with the law.

Tenants:

  • If you are a tenant of a rental property and do not have the required number of smoke alarms contact your landlord immediately.
  • It is against the law for tenants to remove the batteries or tamper with the alarm in any way. It is every ones responsibility to make sure you have a working smoke alarm.
  • A tenant should test their smoke alarms monthly.
  • If your smoke alarm fails please contact your landlord right away and have it replaced or the batteries changed.

Please remember:

  • When installing smoke alarms, refer to the manufacturer's instructions for information about correct placement.
  • Test your smoke alarms every month using the test button.
  • Replace smoke alarm batteries at least once a year, and whenever the low-battery warning chirps.
  • Smoke alarms don't last forever. Replace smoke alarms with new ones if they are more than ten years old.

 Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm Safety

What is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas you can't see, taste, or smell. CO is created when fuels such as kerosene, gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane don't burn properly. Vehicles, generators, or propane coolers running in an attached garage, near a window, door, in your home, car or camper trailer can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, which can be deadly.

What is the danger?

  • CO enters your body as you breathe.
  • CO poisoning can be confused with the flu, food poisoning, and other illnesses. Symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, light-headedness, and shortness of breath.
  • A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a long period of time or a large amount of CO over a short period of time.

How can we protect ourselves?

  • Install a carbon monoxide alarm. One outside your sleeping areas and one by each fueled fired appliance according to manufacturer recommendations.
  • If the CO alarm sounds, move outdoors or by an open window or door. Account for everyone in the home.
  • If the alarm's trouble signal sounds. Check for low batteries.
  • Reduce the carbon monoxide risk by having your fuel-burning equipment inspected by a professional every year.

Do you have a Fire Escape Plan??

 

OPEN BURNING and FIREWORKS

Please remember that the geography and abundance of vegetation within our Township increases our risk exposure to fire spread.  Familiarize yourself with the rules and safety guidelines we have provided surrounding these activities in order to ensure protection of people and property.

Burning By-law 17-21
No setting fires during times when the Fire Danger Rating (FDR) is HIGH or EXTREME.  Use the Township’s website and road signage to ascertain the current rating.

When a Fire Danger Rating is MODERATE or LOW burning can occur if:
  • Between hours of 6p.m. & 2a.m. and only if wind conditions are conducive to best practices.
  • Fire size is less than 2m x 2m and is away from combustible structures or objects.
  • Fires are attended to until extinguished, and appropriate extinguishing resources are present.
  • Fires consume only clean fuels (do not burn garbage or treated wooded products).

Fireworks By-law 17-20
No person shall set off fireworks on any day or days during the year, except on Victoria Day, Canada Day, Independence Day (US), and the one day immediately preceding and/or following each of these days.

During these permitted dates, no discharging fireworks after 11p.m.

No setting off fireworks when there is a Fire Ban in effect or the Fire Danger Rating is HIGH or EXTREME, wherein no open air burning is permitted.
 
The use of sky lanterns and firecrackers are prohibited.


To Report a Forest Fire

To report a forest fire, call the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) 310-FIRE (310-3473).  No area code needed.  Leave a message if you get an answering machine.  They will need to speak to YOU and require you to provide more details.  The operator will prefer to speak with a first hand witness to gather important information – remember they are trying to assess and coordinate a response (probably by air) and details are important.