Birthday Messages from Sparky

Cornwall Fire Services and Sparky are happy to wish young residents a happy birthday.

Please fill out this form to make a request.

Questions? Call 613-930-2787 ext. 2157.

Click here to visit Sparky's website for great children activities, videos and apps.

TAPP-C (The Arson Prevention Program for Children)

TAPP-C is an assessment and intervention program aimed at reducing the incidence of youth fire-setting in the community.

TAPP-C is based on the premise that for most youth, fire-setting is a behavioural problem that can be corrected with a combination of education and psychological counselling. Fire play is when a child puts themselves or others in danger by playing with fire materials such as matches or lighters. Cornwall Fire Services plays a key role in the identification and referral of youth fire setters. The program focuses on educating children aged 2-17 about appropriate fire safety behaviours. According to the Centre for Addiction & Mental Health, Clarke Division, a follow-up survey of some of these children indicated that 70% have not continued to set fires. 　

 Older and Wiser

Statistics show that adults over age 65 are at the highest risk of being killed or injured in a fire.

Although most older adults continue to live independent, productive lives, the natural aging process can make them particularly vulnerable to fire.  Common fire risks for older adults include careless smoking, careless cooking and improper placement of space heaters. 

Older and Wiser is designed to be delivered by fire departments with the assistance of community groups, home support workers and friends and families of older adults.

Whether you are a student moving into a college residence, or just decided that you would like your own place to live, there are a multitude of decisions to be made.

Every year we hear about a number of major fires affecting young adults throughout the province. While there are several causes for these fires, you need to be prepared in the event of fire. 

Know Fire is a fire safety awareness program for students. It includes quick and simple tips that will help save lives, whether you are a student, property owner, or parent.

The following by-laws are related to Cornwall Fire Services.

• Sale of Fireworks
• Establishing and Regulating
• Cost Recovery Fees
• Services Fees for Alarm Maintenance Services

Your fire department wants you to be prepared if a fire strikes your home. Please take a few minutes with your family to make a fire escape plan by following the nine simple instructions listed below. Every household must have a fire escape plan and a working smoke alarm to help ensure survival in a fire. Begin your plan by checking your smoke alarm to make sure that it is working. The smoke alarm will wake you up if a fire occurs while you are asleep.

1. Draw a floor plan of your home: Use a grid to draw a floor plan of your home, following the example provided as a guide. You should draw a floor plan for each floor of your home.
2. Include all possible emergency exits: Draw in all walls, doors, windows and stairs. This will show you and your family all possible escape routes at a glance.
3. Include any important features that could help with your escape: Doors and windows are escape exits from your home. Are there any other features that could help you get out safely? Can you climb out a window onto the roof of a porch or garage? Is there a tree or television antenna tower that can be safely reached from a window? These features can be extremely useful in an emergency, however you must make sure that all escape routes are practical and usable.
4. Mark two escape routes from each room: There is a main exit from every room. This will be the exit to use if there is no apparent danger. If you are unable to use the main exit because of smoke or fire, you must have an alternate exit. The second exit is usually the window. Special consideration should be given to planning escape routes from the bedrooms as most fires occur at right when everyone is sleeping. This second exit must be practical and easy to use. Make sure that the occupant of that bedroom is able to use the second exit.
5. Remember - some people may need help to escape: Decide in advance who will assist the very young, elderly or physically challenged members of your household. A few minutes of planning will save valuable seconds in a real emergency.
6. Choose a place outside where everyone will meet: Choose a meeting place that every one will remember. It is a good idea to choose a spot at the front of your home or close to your neighbour's house. Everyone must know to go directly to this meeting place so they can be accounted for. No one should go back into a burning building for any reason.
7. Call the fire department from a neighbour's home: Once at the meeting place, someone can be sent to the neighbour's home to call the fire department. Include the neighbour's name and the fire department phone number on your plan. Mark the street address of your home on your fire escape plan, Always keep the Fire Departments number by your own phone in case a neighbour needs to call.
8. Make sure everyone is familiar with the home escape plan: Go over the entire plan with everyone. Discuss primary and secondary escape routes from each bedroom. Ensure that all children know the plan. Walk through the escape routes for each room with the entire family. Use this walk-through exercise to check your escape routes, making sure all exits are practical and easy to use. It is important that all windows will open and that no heavy furniture blocks any escape route. If escape ladders or ropes are to be used, make sure that they area accessible and that the appropriate individual is capable of using them.
9. Practice your escape plan: After reviewing the floor plan with the members of your household, have an actual practice to ensure that everyone knows what to do. Practice your escape plan every six months. In a real fire, you must react without hesitation as your escape routes may be quickly blocked by smoke or flames. Your practice drills will ensure that everyone knows what to do when fire strikes.

 Don't let a discarded cigarette take your last breath!!!!

• If you smoke, smoke outside.
• Use deep, wide ashtrays on sturdy tables.
• Before you throw out the butts and ashes, make sure they are out, and douse in water.
• Check under furniture cushions and in other places people smoke for cigarette butts that may have fallen out of sight.
• Keep matches and lighters up high, out of reach of children's sight and reach.

The Cornwall Fire Services' Fire Prevention Division is working closely with the Eastern Ontario Health Unit and its Tobacco Cessation Program Services.  For further information, please visit the following sites:

Eastern Ontario Health Unit

myquit.ca

Questions regarding smoke and CO alarms:

What type of smoke and CO alarm should I buy?

We recommend that electrical smoke alarms (hard wired) and battery operated smoke alarms be U.L.C. listed. Products that have been evaluated by Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (U.L.C.), and found to meet their requirements carry the ULC mark. Most department or hardware stores carry a variety.

Where should I install my smoke alarm? 

The smoke alarm should be installed between each sleeping area and the remainder of the building or where a sleeping area is served by a hallway, install the alarm in the hall. Always install the smoke alarm on or near the ceiling in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions.

It is the law for all Ontario homes to have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. This includes single family dwellings, semi-detached and town homes, whether owner-occupied or rented.

When is a CO detector required? 

Existing residential occupancies that contain at least one fuel-burning appliance (e.g., gas water heater or gas furnace), fireplace or an attached garage, require the installation of a CO alarm.  

What are examples of residential buildings to which the CO alarm requirements apply?  

The following are examples of residential buildings:

• Houses (detached, semi-detached, attached)
• Rental Apartments/Condominiums
• Residential Group Homes (adults, youth, children)
• Hostels/Domiciliary Hostels
• Social Housing
• Student Residences/Dormitories
• Retirement Homes (classified as residential occupancies)
• Camps for Housing Workers
• Boarding, Lodging, Rooming and Halfway Houses
• Convents/Monasteries
• Clubs (residential)
• Hotels/Motels
• Open and semi-secure detention for Youth
• Recreational Camps
• Residential Schools
• Shelters (homeless/women)

How often should I check my smoke and CO alarms and how should I maintain them?

We change our clocks each spring and fall, which are GREAT times to change your smoke alarm batteries, too.  If the low battery warning beeps, replace the battery immediately.  Testing your alarms is recommended ONCE A MONTH!

Never remove the battery for use in other devices.

Dust can clog a smoke alarm, so carefully vacuum the inside of a battery powered unit using the soft bristle brush. If electrically connected, shut off the power and vacuum the outside vents only. Restore power and test the unit when finished.

Check your dates!  Smoke and CO alarms do wear out or expire.  If you think your alarms are more than 10 years old, replace them with new ones.