The B.C. government, Food Banks BC and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) are supporting a provincial campaign to help ensure B.C.'s most vulnerable families have working smoke alarms in their homes.
As part of its support, AANDC will be matching an earlier commitment from manufacturer Kidde Canada to provide 2,500 free smoke alarms to on-reserve Aboriginal families, whom research has shown to be at elevated risk of fatality in residential fires.
"I believe these smoke alarms are not only practical but they will also be sending a strong daily reminder of the importance of fire prevention in the home," said AANDC Minister John Duncan.
Today, B.C.'s 93 food banks have made the commitment to join forces with fire services across the province to make free smoke alarms available to interested individuals and families whose accommodation lacks a working smoke alarm, one of the most essential tools to save lives and property in the event of fire.
In March, Justice Minister and Attorney General Shirley Bond and Surrey
Fire Chief Len Garis, president of the Fire Chiefs' Association of BC, launched a smoke alarm campaign intended to ensure every B.C. home has a working smoke alarm.
Research by Surrey Fire Services and the University of the Fraser
Valley shows almost 70 per cent of homes that caught fire lacked a functioning smoke alarm, and that households in low-income areas, in rural communities and on First Nations reserves face greater risk of fatality from residential fires.
"As Fire Prevention Week continues, I encourage everyone to take time to get a smoke alarm or test the ones they already have,” said Shirley Bond, BC minister of Justice and Attorney General. “I also recommend they consider this year's theme-Have Two Ways Out-and develop and practice an evacuation plan for their family in case of a fire."
Quick Facts:
In total, Kidde Canada has donated 5,000 smoke alarm units, to be divided equally between First Nations families on reserve and other vulnerable populations, including lower-income and rural families.
With today's AANDC contribution, that brings the total number of smoke alarms available to vulnerable B.C. families to 7,500.
Data from the Office of the Fire Commissioner shows that in 11,000 residential fires in B.C. from 2006 to 2011, nearly 70 per cent of the fire scenes examined either had no smoke alarm or the smoke alarm was not working.
A University of the Fraser Valley study extrapolates that 69 deaths across Canada could be prevented each year if all Canadian homes had working smoke alarms.
