Mississauga’s fire chief delivers home safety message after rash of deaths
Published February 7, 2022 at 11:26 am
Mississauga’s fire chief is urging residents to pay greater attention to home safety in the wake of numerous fires across the province in recent weeks that have killed 17 people.
According to the Ontario Fire Marshal, nine home fires in January claimed the lives of those 17 people, among them three young brothers who died in a Brampton blaze two weeks ago.
“These events are heartbreaking to both the members of the responding fire service and the impacted community,” Mississauga Fire Chief Deryn Rizzi said at a press conference late last week. “Fire officials and firefighters across the province are sounding the alarm in hopes to protect people and slow the upward trend. We are urging people to be particularly mindful of fire safety measures.”
Rizzi noted that while tragedy was averted in a Jan. 15 Mississauga home fire thanks to the heroic actions of an 18-year-old man who helped several children escape a burning home, other incidents have taken a terrible, tragic toll.
Mississauga Fire Chief Deryn Rizzi speaks about fire safety at a press conference late last week.
“We’ve seen positive news stories about residents being rescued safely from a fire in our own community, but only a week later we are grieving the loss of three young boys from a neighbouring municipality,” Mississauga’s top fire official said.
“Fire and life safety is top priority for our department year-round, but especially during the winter months,” Rizzi continued. “Today, I want to make sure it’s top of mind for (residents), as well. As you would expect, during the winter we see people spending more time indoors…” and winter storms can bring unexpected challenges with snow, ice and wind.
“As a result, we see an increase in the use of space heaters and wood-burning appliances as everyone’s furnace gets a good workout when the settings are adjusted to keep us comfortable. Along with more time spent cooking hot meals, these are just a few of the factors that contribute to a spike in fires over the winter months.”
Rizzi emphasized the importance of working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors inside every home. She urged residents to test the devices monthly and replace batteries regularly.
“If you haven’t checked recently, please make that a priority,” she said. “Fires can happen at any time, anywhere in your home and having a working smoke alarm is the best line of defence.”
Rizzi listed several other ways in which residents can reduce the risk of devastating home fires:
- never leave cooking unattended. Always keep an eye on what you’re cooking and never leave your home with food on the stove or in the oven
- inspect all electrical cords inside your home. Frayed cords, overused extension cords and faulty wiring can cause fires. Take a moment to unplug any lingering holiday lights or decorations that have been forgotten. Also, be careful not to charge devices under pillows or other places they could overheat
- service your furnace and change filters. Not changing the filter could lead to overheating
- check your closest fire hydrant and ensure it’s accessible. Responding to a fire in the winter, especially after a big snowstorm, can be challenging for firefighters as the hydrants may be covered in snow
- use space heaters safely. Make sure they’re not in close contact with curtains, furniture or something that could catch fire. Don’t plug them into extension cords or run them for 24 hours, seven days a week. And keep them away from water
Rizzi noted that one of the best tips for parents is to teach children about fire safety, including to not play with lighters or matches.
And tell youngsters it’s okay to call 911 if a fire starts, she added.
“I’ve heard too many stories of kids being afraid of getting into trouble from their parents or fearful for calling for help,” Rizzi said.
Rizzi said Mississauga firefighters’ public education staff has participated in 41 virtual classroom sessions since the start of the year, reaching more than 800 students.
Speaking at the same press conference, Mayor Bonnie Crombie pointed to the rash of house fires in Ontario so far this year in noting the importance of fire safety.
“I don’t think we talk nearly enough about the risks of fire and the things we can all do to prevent them from happening in our own homes,” she said in introducing Rizzi.
We are joined by our community hero Adam Attalla to share some fire safety tips:
1) Make sure you know two ways out of every room – especially sleeping areas.
2) Get out of the house and then call 9-1-1.
3) Ensure you have a working smoke alarm on every floor of your home. pic.twitter.com/ZZGKtygYWJ— Chief Deryn Rizzi (@derynrizzi) February 2, 2022
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