Fire Prevention & Education

• If anyone in the household sleeps with the bedroom door closed, consider installing a smoke alarm inside the bedroom.
• It is best to use interconnected smoke alarms. When one smoke alarm sounds, they all sound.
• On floor levels not containing sleeping areas, install smoke alarms in the living area or at stairwells leading to an upper floor.
• A- A smoke alarm should be on the ceiling or high on a wall. Keep smoke alarms away from the kitchen to reduce false alarms. They should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the stove.
• People who are hard of hearing or deaf can use special alarms. These alarms have strobe lights and bed shakers.
• Do not install smoke alarms near vents where air movement may prevent the alarm from working.
• When installing smoke alarms, be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, toxic gas that enters the body through the lungs during the normal breathing process. It replaces oxygen in the blood and prevents the flow of oxygen to the heart, brain and other vital organs.

Hundreds of Canadians are hospitalized every year from carbon monoxide poisoning, many of whom are permanently disabled. Everyone is at risk - 88% of all homes have something that poses a carbon monoxide threat.

If you feel that you are suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning you should call 911 and get proper medical attention. 

Carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms can include:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Flu-like symptoms

If these symptoms are less severe when you are outside of the home, it may be a sign of a carbon monoxide problem in the house.

1. Get everyone outdoors immediately
2. Call 911 from a safe location
3. Keep all windows and doors closed to allow for an accurate reading of carbon monoxide levels

• Fuel-burning appliances like gas stoves, gas furnaces, wood-burning fireplaces, kerosene heaters, barbeques, and generators
• Vehicles idling near your home, or in your garage.

• Install and maintain working carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas
• Check that all outside appliance vents are not blocked
• Never use a portable fuel-burning applicant inside (e.g. barbeques, portable heaters, and generators)

If you live in a house, a CO alarm must be installed if the home:

• has a fuel-burning appliance
• has a fireplace
• has an attached garage
• is heated by air from a fuel-burning appliance that is not contained within your home (in effect on January 1, 2026)

A CO alarm must be installed in each of the following locations in a house:

• adjacent to each sleeping area (this means the hallway or area outside the sleeping area, for example, a carbon monoxide alarm must be installed in the hallway nearest multiple bedrooms in a house or apartment)
• on every storey of your home, including storeys that do not have sleeping areas (in effect on January 1, 2026)

If you live in an apartment or condo unit, a CO alarm must be installed if any of the following applies:

• your unit has a fuel-burning appliance or a fireplace
• the building has a service room, and your unit is located directly above, below, or beside the service room
• the building has a garage, and your unit is located directly above, below or beside the garage
• your unit is heated by air from a fuel-burning appliance that is not contained within your unit, for example, heated air coming from a furnace in a building service room (in effect on January 1, 2026)

A carbon monoxide alarm must be installed in each of the following locations in an apartment or condo unit:

• adjacent to each sleeping area of your unit (this means the hallway or area outside the sleeping area, for example, a carbon monoxide alarm must be installed in the hallway nearest multiple bedrooms in a house or apartment)
• on every storey of your unit, including storeys that do not have sleeping areas (in effect on January 1, 2026)
• in public corridors of the building if the corridors are heated by air from a fuel-burning appliance (in effect on January 1, 2026)

• Building owners are responsible for complying with carbon monoxide and smoke alarm requirements under the Fire Code.
• In rental suites, landlords must:
  1. Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in accordance with the Ontario Fire Code
  2. Maintain smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in operating condition
  3. Maintain primary and secondary power supplies that serve required alarms
  4. Provide the tenant a copy of the manufacturer's maintenance instructions
• Tenants must:
  1. Not disable Smoke or Carbon Monoxide alarms in their occupancy.
  2. Notify the landlord when provided Carbon Monoxide or Smoke Alarms are not working.   

Port Colborne Fire & Emergency Services offers educational fire safety programs for residents, including:

• Classroom fire safety education
• Fire extinguisher training
• Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Programs
• Other fire safety presentations

Requests for fire safety presentations must be submitted at least three weeks in advance.

Request a Fire Safety Presentation

The TAPP-C (The Arson Prevention Program for Children) is a collaborative program designed to address fire-setting and fire-play behaviours in children and youth. Port Colborne Fire Services play an important role by providing fire safety education, conducting home fire-safety assessments, identifying and reducing potential fire hazards, and helping families develop effective fire escape and prevention plans. Fire Service personnel work alongside mental health professionals and community partners to support the child and family, promote safer behaviours, and reduce the risk of future fire-related incidents.

How can I recognize if my child is at risk?

While curiosity about fire can be normal, some behaviours may indicate a higher risk of unsafe fire-play and should not be ignored. 

Warning signs include:

• Unusual fascination with fire, flames, or watching things burn. 
• Possession of matches, lighters, or other ignition sources without permission. 
• Evidence of burned items, scorch marks, or unexplained small fires. 
• Repeated fire play or fire setting incidents 
• Secretive behaviour, hiding fire-related activities, or denying involvement. 
• Fire play associated with anger, stress, emotional difficulties, risk-taking, or behavioural concerns.

There can be other identifying attributes that may or may not identify an at-risk child, including an inexplicable need for privacy and unusual fascination with anything related to fire. 

How can I protect my child and family at home?

• Make sure young children are always supervised.
• Keep matches and lighters locked away where children cannot get them.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas. Test smoke alarms monthly.
• Develop and practice a home fire escape plan 

Realize you are not alone. Many children have a fascination with fire. It is important to understand that while curiosity about fire is natural, fire-play can be dangerous. In fact, fire is a leading cause of death among children in the home. Unfortunately, many youngsters start the very fire that injures or kills themselves or others.

Learn more about the Emily Project - FARM 911

Proper installation and regular maintenance of wood stoves and fireplaces help keep you, your family, and your neighbours safe.

Safety Tips:

• Never leave children unattended when there is a fire in a wood stove or fireplace. 
• Keep combustible materials a safe distance away from wood stoves and fireplaces.
• Always use a properly fitting screen for your fireplace.
• Burn properly dried, well-seasoned wood to reduce the risk of excessive creosote build-up from inefficient burning or smouldering fires. 
• Store wood outdoors, stacked in an open area of shed away from the house or deck to provide good airflow that will assist drying.
• Allow ashes to cool fully before cleaning them from your woodstove or fireplace. Use only metal, non-combustible containers to remove ashes. Take ashes immediately outside and store well away from buildings on a non-combustible surface.
• Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your wood stove or fireplace.
• A building permit is required for any newly installed wood stove, fireplace insert or chimney in your home or garage. Always follow the manufacturer's installation instructions.
• A Carbon monoxide alarm must be installed in all homes with a fuel-fired appliance.

The Ontario Fire Code requires homeowners to maintain the safety of their chimneys and inspect them at least once a year. 

• Smoke escaping could indicate a blockage in the chimney or a faulty damper control mechanism. 
• When purchasing a new wood stove or fireplace insert, look for the mark of an accredited certification agency that ensures the product has been tested and meets established safety standards.
• Have a certified Technician instal a chimney cap on top of your chimney to protect against damage from rain or snow. 
• Have Spark screens installed and inspected regularly to make sure smoke can vent properly.
• Regularly check for signs of problems. Your heating appliance, flue pipes and chimney can deteriorate over time. Look for corrosion or rust stains in the outer shell of a metal chimney and check for bulges or corrosion in its liner.
• Check stove pipes and connections to ensure all joints in flue pipes are securely fastened with at least 3 screws. Where flue pipes are joined together, the small (crimped) end should point toward the appliance.
• Check the walls for excessive heat. If the wall is very hot it could be a sign of improper installation of the chimney or stove pipe.
• Have your wood stove or fireplace inspected by a WETT certified professional annually.