Fire Prevention Week is approaching the end of its 100th anniversary, and a Comox Valley fire department is offering education and tours at an open house.
The open house will be held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Comox Fire Rescue. They say citizens can come to meet the firefighters, learn from them about important fire safety information and tour the building.
Fire chief Gord Schreiner says this week is important as the colder weather approaches.
“Moving into the colder season is when we usually have more fires, particularly fatal fires happen more in winter than they would in summer,” said Schreiner.
Schreiner adds the drought has been contributing to fire risks recently along with an increase in electric bike chargers and batteries.
“A teenager’s phone at night can often cause a small fire,” said Schreiner. “Or the e-bike batteries, different manufacturers are having a few problems charging them.
“They should be charged in a garage or an area like that and certainly have a heat detector or smoke detector around them.”
Schreiner says having working smoke alarms, one on each level and in each bedroom, is a good preventative measure.
“[A] fire extinguisher in your home is a good thing to have and know how to use it, and [have] an evacuation plan for your home,” he said.
Schreiner says this week presents an opportunity to learn about fire prevention and safety in the town.
