Fire Prevention

Book an inspection

Fire inspections may be required as a condition of sale, for financing or for safety purposes.  Requests for inspections regarding sale and financial must be made a minimum of 3 weeks prior to the deadline for the inspection to take place.  Please note that if any violations are noted, they will need to be corrected before a final letter can be issued. The fee for a fire inspection is $75.00 per hour.

 Book an Inspection 

The Fire Department doesn't provide inspection for wood stoves, fireplaces, gas appliances (WETT). If a WETT inspection is required please refer to WETT website.

Carbon monoxide alarms

The law requires that your dwelling must be equipped with a working Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm outside of each sleeping area in your home, cottage, cabin, RV, trailer, apartment, etc. in order to keep you and your family safe.  Carbon Monoxide alarms are required inside bedrooms that have fuel-fired appliances in them such as a fireplace or heater.  They are also required inside bedrooms in residential houses that have an attached garage and that share a common wall with that garage.

Carbon Monoxide is a deadly toxic gas that is odourless, tasteless and colourless. You cannot detect Carbon Monoxide (CO) using your senses. CO is the by-product of a fuel burning process. Carbon Monoxide can be produced by many different sources in the home when faulty and unusual conditions exist.

 Some of the items that may produce CO include:

• furnace (natural gas, propane, oil, wood)

• fireplace (gas, wood, coal)

• stove (gas, wood), a dryer (gas only)

• barbeque (gas, charcoal)

• gasoline/petrol powered garden tools

• generator (gasoline, diesel, propane)

• vehicles

• cigarettes & tobacco smoke

CO poisoning can cause symptoms that can mimic flu, unconsciousness and even cause death.

To reduce the risk of CO poisoning, service your appliances annually and make sure that the ventilation of your appliance is not blocked.

Know the signs of CO poisoning:

• headache

• fatigue

• dizziness

• nausea

• breathlessness

• collapse

• vomiting

• loss of consciousness.

A CO reading of 9PPM or greater is potentially dangerous.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms should be replaced as per the manufacturer's directions or every 5 years or if it has sounded. Carbon Monoxide Alarms may be disposed of in the insert link Landfill in the Town of South Bruce Peninsula.

Smoke alarms

The Ontario Fire Code mandates the installation of smoke alarms. Smoke alarms are required to be installed on every level of a home, cottage or trailer outside each sleeping area. Smoke alarms should be installed on the ceiling whenever possible and not too close to walls or corners. Be sure to test your smoke alarms frequently and change the batteries regularly. 

If you are building or renovating your home or cottage, be aware of the new smoke alarm amendment to the 2014 Ontario Building Code O. Reg 332/12 effective January 1, 2015. All smoke alarms must now be equipped with a visual signalling component that meets NFPA 72, "National Fire Alarm and Signalling Code." Since 2014 under the OBC, smoke alarms are also required in each sleeping room and between the sleeping rooms and on every story. Smoke alarms must also be installed in hallways that serve a sleeping room. Smoke alarms are to be installed with permanent connections to an electrical circuit with a back-up battery supply of no less than 7 days and must be wired so that the actuation of one smoke alarm will cause all smoke alarms within the dwelling unit to sound. Please speak with the Building Department for more information regarding the building code requirements for smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms should be replaced as per the manufacturer's directions or every 10 years. Smoke alarms may be disposed of at the Landfill in the Town of South Bruce Peninsula.

Fire safety and home escape plans

Fire safety plan

A fire safety plan ensures the effective use of lifesaving features in a building to protect occupants from fire. A fire safety plan should be designed based on the resources of each unique building or complex. 

Emergency Planning is mandated by the Ontario Fire Code and the requirements apply to, but are not imited to, the following types of buildings:

• Assembly occupancy or care or detention occupancy
• Residential occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 10
• Business and personal services occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300
• Mercantile occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300
• High hazard industrial occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 25
• Medium hazard industrial occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 100
• Low hazard industrial occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300

If you have questions or do not know whether your business or building requires a fire safety plan, please contact the South Bruce Peninsula Fire Department.

Home escape plan

It is important to have and practice a home escape plan. Everyone in your home should know what to do when they hear an alarm or recognize an emergency. A home escape plan should include:

• Making sure all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms work.
• Planning two ways out of every room.
• Designating a meeting spot outside.
• Practicing your plan with everyone in your home.