'Everyone deserves to feel safe': CFD receives donation of 1,000 smoke alarms

The Calgary Fire Department has been working with homeowners since 1996 to ensure their smoke alarms are working and keep them safe in case of fire.

The Calgary Fire Department gratefully accepted a massive donation of smoke alarms on Thursday, saying they will help ensure local families are safe in case a fire breaks out in their homes.

Officials say the donation, from Kidde Canada, is worth approximately $30,000 and is one of two the company is offering in Canada this year.

The supply will be added to the alarms that are handed out through the CFD's Home Safe Program, an initiative that helps homeowners learn about fire safety and inspect and install smoke alarms.

"The Home Safety Program installs smoke alarms in the homes of Calgarians that may not have the ability to purchase or install them, including low-income residents, seniors and new Canadians," officials said in a release.

Carol Henke, public information officer with the CFD, says smoke alarms are essential for any home.

"Fire doubles in size every 30 seconds, so it grows very, very quickly and that smoke is just incredibly toxic and dangerous. Just one or two breaths and that will render you incapable of getting out quickly and safely."

On Thursday morning, a fire broke out in a home in Bowness and resulted in the death of a 75-year-old man. Henke says the unit where the man was living did not have a functional smoke alarm in it.

"No smoke alarms were heard when fire crews arrived on scene."

She says smoke alarms are an important warning device.

"They need to be maintained, they need to be replaced if they are older than 10 years. They need to be tested once a month. It is really, really important that you pick one day a month – test your alarms, one day a year – change the batteries if they're battery operated and check the lifespan. If you've lived in your home longer than 10 years and you've not replaced your smoke alarms, they need to be replaced."

Henke says the reminder is for landlords too.

"It is a landlord's responsibility to ensure there are working smoke alarms in all of the residences that they are renting out. It is the tenant's responsibility to maintain them."

A spokesperson for Kidde Canada says the company is "thrilled" to work with the CFD to keep Calgary families safe.

"Everyone deserves to feel safe and protected in their homes, and firefighters are the ones who rush into danger and save lives," said Stephanie Berzinski, fire safety educator with Kidde.

"Our hope is that this donation from our 'Operation Save-a-Life' program helps the Calgary Fire Department keep spreading the message of fire safety and getting more smoke alarms into the homes of those who need them."

The CFD says their relationship with Kidde has existed for the past few years. It's often something that families don't pay enough attention to, they add.

"It's an out of sight, out of mind thing. People don't necessarily think about fires and emergencies in the home," said Deputy Chief Pete Steenaerts. "It's not something they've experienced before, so it's not at the front of mind.

"That's a big part of the reason why we are endeavouring to visit as many homes as we do to help provide that message and help that be at the front of people's minds. Of course, if and when we do realize they need a new detector, we are able to assist them with replacing it."

Since 1996, firefighters have visited more than 470,000 homes, installed approximately 31,000 smoke alarms and replaced more than 20,000 batteries.