With nearly two dozen fires in Chatham-Kent this past month alone, Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services are urging everyone to keep safety top of mind.
Assistant Chief Chris Case says having working smoke detectors on all floors of your home is most important, but there are other things to consider as well.
“We recommend that people are careful when they’re smoking, that they extinguish their cigarettes and make sure they dispute of the ash trays every night in a safe place,” Case says. “Cooking is a leading cause of fires in Ontario, so never leave a pan unattended, never cook when you’ve been drinking alcohol.”
Case says it’s important to have a night-time routine, checking to make sure there are no fire threats before going to bed.
Families also need to ensure they have an escape plan in place and everyone knows where to go in the event of a fire.
Firefighters have battled 22 fires in Chatham-Kent over the past few weeks, many of which were accidental.