Fire Chief Shawn Aymer Challenges Tay Township to be “Saved by the Beep”

Tay, Ontario: Fire Chief Shawn Aymer is calling on all residents of Tay Township to test their smoke alarms on September 28 as part of Test Your Smoke Alarm Day. Be prepared to be Saved by the Beep with a working smoke alarm – it is your best chance to keep you and your family safe in the event of a fire.

Tay Township is joining communities across Ontario on September 28 by asking everyone to take a minute and to ensure that there are working smoke alarms installed in their home.

“Preparedness in the event of a fire begins with the simple act of pressing the test button, ensuring that a functioning smoke alarm is present in your home,” said Fire Chief Shawn Aymer “Lives will be saved by regularly testing smoke alarms at least once a month, refreshing batteries at least once a year, and replacing smoke alarms older than 10 years.”

In 2022, Ontario lost 133 people to deadly fires – the highest number in over 20 years. Many of these fires were found to have no working smoke alarm and stand as a reminder that only working smoke alarms will alert you to a fire and give you and your loved ones enough time to safely escape.

“In Ontario, we’ve seen a significant rise in fatal fires and the number of people we have lost in these fires is very concerning,” said Ontario Fire Marshal Jon Pegg. “Entire families have been lost to fire and the most troubling part is that the majority of these fires did not have a working smoke alarm in the home. Had there been working smoke alarms, and a well thought out and practiced home fire escape plan, these deaths may have been prevented.”

The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM), with the support of fire services and fire safety partners across Ontario, is asking Ontarians to regularly test their smoke alarms with a challenge to test all smoke alarms in their residence on September 28.

For more information visit www.savedbythebeep.ca

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Contacts:

Shawn Aymer
General Manager, Protective and Development Services
Fire Chief/Community Emergency Management Coordinator
705-534-7248 ext. 253
saymer@tay.ca

Elizabeth Smith
Manager of Communications and Technology Services
705-534-7248 ext. 264
esmith@tay.ca