Guelph fire department taking part in Test Your Smoke Alarm Day

The Guelph Fire Department is joining communities across Ontario for Test Your Smoke Alarm Day.

It happens this Thursday, Sept. 28, and it will be the first year of this initiative.

The day is a reminder to homeowners and property owners to test their smoke alarms to see if they are working properly.

Fire Chief Brian Arnold said in a statement that being prepared in the event of a fire begins with a press of the test button.

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He said testing smoke alarms, changing the battery in smoke alarms, and replacing the unit every 10 years will help saves lives.

Test Your Smoke Alarm Day encourages Ontarians to learn more about smoke alarms, fire safety and fire escape planning.

In a news release, 133 people died over the last 20 years as a result of fires.

They say many of the fires happened in homes that did not have a working smoke alarm.

2:36 No working smoke alarms in Hamilton, Ont. fire that killed 4