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•Let's sound the alarm for burning toast - 01/19/08
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News and Press Releases
Let's sound the alarm for burning toast - 01/19/08
Of all the enlightened changes to the Ontario
Building Code over the years, the one least celebrated but with the most impact
may well be the 1985 requirement for every new home to have hard-wired smoke
detectors. These smoke detectors must always be on. While home-related fire
deaths are on the decline, they still occur, unfortunately; and each time they
do, the debate about mandatory sprinklers in new homes is reopened. If we're
going to talk openly, then it's important to note that in the vast majority, if
not all, of the recent fire-related deaths, the homes are older (pre-1985) and
either had no
smoke detectors or batteries or the units had been disconnected. Putting
sprinklers in newly built homes will not change this fact, nor prevent future
tragedies. Mike Holmes, host of Holmes on Homes recently wrote that "making
residential sprinklers mandatory in all new construction is a Band-Aid solution.
When it comes to fire safety in your house, the right options, hands down, are
smoke detectors,
carbon monoxide detectors and
fire extinguishers." Putting sprinklers in newly built homes that are
already hard-wired for safety is redundant, expensive and misdirected.
The Ontario homebuilding industry erects approximately 75,000 new homes a year
on average. At a very conservative cost estimate of $3,000 per home, we're
looking at more than $200 million a year – year in, year out. We could go ahead
and spend all that money protecting homeowners who are already safe while people
continue to die in older homes with no, or malfunctioning, smoke detectors. Or
we could mandate sprinklers in all pre-1985 homes. But there's a better solution
and I give our provincial government credit. Under changes to the Ontario Fire
Code passed by the provincial government effective March 1, 2006, all residences
in the province must have smoke detectors installed on each level including the
basement. Once installed, smoke detectors have to be replaced every 10 years. At
the time the new law was announced, Ontario Fire Marshall Bernard Moyle stated
that "in about 50 per cent of fatal, preventable home fires, there was no smoke
alarm warning. It is critical to have working smoke alarms on every level to
give occupants the precious seconds they need to escape a fire." The
province, the fire marshall, even Mike Holmes all seem to agree on the efficacy
of smoke alarms. What's needed now is a massive public awareness campaign to
ensure that the number of fire-related deaths continues its downward trend, not
just in new homes, but all homes. The campaign starts here. If you live in a
pre-1985 home, please, please stop reading this article and get up and test your
smoke detector right now. Consider having an electrician come in and hard-wire
your smoke detectors for that extra peace of mind. If you live in a home built
since 1985, please keep in mind that the actual alarms should be kept free of
dust through twice yearly vacuuming and don't forget the 10-year replacement
rule. To all new homeowners, the next time you burn your toast, let that shrill
alarm be music to your ears.
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