Edmonton firefighters go door-to-door installing CO monitors, smoke detectors

Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) firefighters have been going door-to-door this weekend installing carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to help make homes safer in four neighbourhoods.

The firefighters are also sharing important safety tips and changing batteries in units that might need it.

“We’ve been doing this program since 2007,” said Dwayne Pringle, assistant fire marshall with EFRS. “We’re getting around to a lot of different areas in Edmonton every year and it’s very well received.”

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“There are many houses in Edmonton that were built before the 1980 code that mandated [smoke detectors] to be in,” Pringle said. “There’s also a lot of houses that have detectors that don’t work well. They have a 10-year operational life. There’s many people that have had them in their houses for 20 years.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There are many houses in Edmonton that were built before the 1980 code that mandated [smoke detectors] to be in," Pringle said. "There's also a lot of houses that have detectors that don't work well. They have a 10-year operational life. There's many people that have had them in their houses for 20 years."

Four crews were out on both Saturday and Sunday hoping to install approximately 215 monitors in  the Alberta Avenue, Calder, Newton and Britannia Youngstown neighbourhoods.

“It’s a voluntary program,” Pringle added. “We go up to 60 houses per crew. We try to get about 30 installed.”

Firefighters hope to install another 200 in the spring.

“A fire alarm is your first round of defence,” Pringle said. “Everyone likes their local fire crew coming to their home and making sure they are safe.”