This year the 2023 Fire Prevention Week topic is Kitchen Safety. Many home fires are started by unattended cooking on the kitchen stove. Also, smoke detectors are not being checked to make sure they are in working order. Now is a good time to change your battery…put a new one in and use the old one in something that you don’t need to save your life.
The number of fire-related deaths recorded last year represents a 46-per-cent annual increase, according to the Office of the Fire Commissioner of BC.
There were 9,087 fires in the province last year—86 fire-related deaths and 212 significant injuries, according to the OFC. (These are not fires and injuries related to wildland fires).
The report also found that a working smoke alarm was not present at more than half—55 per cent—of reported residential structure fires.
“Once a fire starts, people have very little time to get out of their home safely, making a working smoke alarm a critical tool for saving lives,” said BC Minister of Public Safety, Mike Farnworth. “I’m urging everyone to test their smoke alarms at least once every six months to keep their home and family safe.”
TIVFD
Fire Chief J. Caldbeck
Thetis Island Vol. Fire Dept.
