The Fire Prevention Department is there to encourage citizens and merchants, through the use of education and regulations, to adopt safe habits in order to prevent the losses resulting from a fire for the community, its people and their property.

Did you know that

• The Prevention division has 1 permanent employee.
• Added to this are 4 temporary employees during the summer season.
• Every year, we respond to almost 100 requests for information on subjects related to fire safety.
• We intervene to correct fire hazards that could affect the life and property of our citizens.
• Every year we visit 4 schools and 2 youth centres in order to provide advice on fire safety.
• We visit close to 1,000 homes every year to verify smoke detectors and many other important points related to fire safety.
• We inspect the commercial sector to maintain an adequate level of fire safety for customers and employees who work there.
• We take part in interventions when a call is placed with 9-1-1 for firefighters.
• We are active members of the “Comité Régional de Prévention des Incendies du Suroît” which brings together prevention technicians from several municipalities.

We gather information in order to prepare our response plans.

Most fatal fires occur at night, when people are asleep. Often, victims who are intoxicated by smoke are not even able to wake up. A smoke detector that’s in good working order will detect the smoke and set off an alarm, allowing you to get out in time. Many people are still alive today because of the warning they got from their smoke detectors.

Take some time each month to check your smoke detectors by pressing on the test button. When you press on this button, the alarm should sound. If the alarm does not sound, check if your batteries are well installed or if they need to be replaced. If the alarm still does not sound, your smoke detector needs to be replaced.

Smoke Detectors:

• It is mandatory to have one on each floor of your home;
• It should be installed in the hallway next to the bedrooms;
• It should be replaced after ten years of operation;
• It should be installed on the ceiling at least 10 cm (4 inches) from the wall, or on the wall itself as long as the top of the detector is at least 10 cm (4 inches) away and at most 30.5 cm (12 inches) from the ceiling.

Electric smoke detectors are mandatory since implementation of the 1990 Building Code. These detectors, which are installed on each floor, must be electrically connected to each other in order to produce a simultaneous alarm on all floors. When doing renovations, you should equip your home with this type of smoke detector. In order to be well

protected during power failures or in situations where a fire could cause the smoke detector’s power breaker to trip, we strongly recommend that you install electric smoke detectors with an emergency battery backup.

Battery-operated smoke detectors are required in all other cases. The battery should be replaced every time we go from standard time to daylight saving time in the spring and every time we go back to standard time in the fall.

Did you know that you can now get smoke detectors that operate using lithium batteries that last ten years? Since the battery lasts as long as the smoke detector itself, it doesn’t need to be changed. This type of smoke detector is a bit more expensive to buy, however, it allows you to save two batteries every year as well as reduce the amount of waste in the environment.

You can also find wireless battery-operated smoke detectors. Whenever one smoke detector is set off in the home, it triggers the other smoke detectors.

Most smoke detectors are ionization type detectors or sometimes photoelectric. When false alarms are set off because of steam from the shower, cooking in the oven or on the stovetop or use of the toaster, avoid disconnecting the smoke detector. Instead, try repositioning the detector or replacing it with a photoelectric model.

Smoke detectors that are connected to home intrusion alarm systems, when set off, have as an advantage the ability to warn the Fire Department through the use of a central alarm. These systems provide 24 hour protection even when the building is not occupied. Owners of such systems must pay special attention to make sure false alarms do not occur. Many cities, including Pincourt, have adopted, by regulation, deterrent methods to limit unnecessary action from the Fire Department.

Make sure all persons living in your home are able to recognize the sound of a smoke detector and know what to do if it is set off.

Set up an evacuation plan with your family and practice evacuating your home. Establish two exits for each room and agree on a meeting place outside. Once you are outside, do not attempt to go back inside.  You should never enter a building that’s on fire. Call the Fire Department by dialling 911 from a neighbour’s home or by using your cell phone.

Safety ladders can be folded and require very little space. They can be easily attached to the window. Safety ladders provide a second exit for residents whose rooms are on the second floor. For about $70, it can make all the difference if you need to evacuate your home and the indoor stairs are inaccessible due to smoke.

Creosote is a liquid contained as droplets in smoke produced by wood during combustion. This flammable liquid hardens when cooled and clings to the surfaces of your chimney, increasing the risk of fire.

Chimney sweeping is the only effective way to prevent fires. You should have your chimney cleaned at least once every year, depending on how much wood you burn. To make sure your chimney sweeping is done properly, only specialized companies are authorized to perform this kind of work on the territory of the City of Pincourt. Once the work is done, the company provides a receipt that you should keep in your records. Watch out for low cost chimney sweeps who clean only the chimney itself as this is not considered complete nor safe.

For more information, please visit the APC’s web site (Association des professionnels du chauffage) at www.poelesfoyers.ca, or consult the Yellow Pages to find an authorized chimney sweep.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is referred to as the silent killer because it is invisible and odourless.

Carbon monoxide is produced by all combustion appliances such as cars, motorcycles, generators, lawnmowers, wood stoves, oil furnaces and gas, fireplaces.

Only a carbon monoxide detector can tell you if the air contains abnormal levels of CO.

All homes with attached garages or direct-fired heating appliances should be equipped with at least one carbon monoxide detector on every floor, including the basement.

Carbon monoxide detectors are now sold in combination with either smoke detectors or propane gas leak detectors.

Hot work jobs include all operations that require the use of open flame appliances or appliances that produce heat or sparks. During welding repairs for instance, intense heat is produced that can easily set fire to materials you believed to be non-combustible. Great care is therefore required.  It is often better to have the work done by trade professionals, rather than risk having to seek the help of a claim adjuster from your home insurance company.

In urban areas, use of fireworks constitutes a fire hazard. Fireworks are therefore prohibited throughout the Town’s territory except in the case of certified fireworks handlers who have been authorized by a competent authority for special events.

The Town of Pincourt is an urban area of 8 km². It is therefore very important to control polluting emissions in the atmosphere. Open air fires are therefore prohibited throughout the Town’s territory except for fireplaces, grills and barbecues.