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Smoke Alarm

At approximately 3 a.m. this morning (Friday, June 10) East Gwillimbury Emergency and Community Safety Services (ECSS) responded to a residential structure fire on 2nd Concession Road. A family of eight was alerted of the fire by their smoke alarms and were able to safety evacuate to their neighbour’s home, without any injuries. The response was supported by York Regional Police, York Paramedics and Georgina Fire Services.

It starts with education. Residents who live in the home shared with ECSS staff that a lot of their fire safety knowledge is attributed to the work ECSS does in the community. They attended last year’s Fire Prevention Week Open House at the Queensville Fire Station and in 2019 ECSS stopped by their home as part of the Town’s Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm program. Fire Prevention Week gives members of the public the opportunity to visit the fire station, meet with local organizations, and learn ways to stay safe and prepared. As part of the Smoke and CO Alarm program, the family was given two new smoke alarms to install in their home, which ultimately saved their lives.

“Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms save lives,” said East Gwillimbury Fire Chief Rob McKenzie. “I can’t stress enough how important it is for everyone to have working alarms on every floor of their home and outside of all sleeping areas. Our department is in the community on a regular basis to help residents understand the importance of that message.”

It's also important to have a home escape plan, with two ways out of every room and to practice it with everyone who lives in your house. Seconds count in an emergency and following these simple tips can truly make a big impact when dealing with life and death situations.

“I applaud the hard work and dedication of our Emergency Services teams in ensuring our community remains safe and informed,” said Mayor Virginia Hackson. “I’m happy that this incident ends with good news and that the family were able to safely evacuate. I encourage all our residents to take the opportunity to speak to our ECSS Team and learn how to keep you and your family safe.”

ECSS makes stops in the community on a regular basis. Visit the ECSS Team every Thursday until October 6 at the EG Farmers Market located at the Civic Centre to learn a variety of important fire and life safety tips that will help you and your family stay safe and prepared. To learn more about fire prevention, visit the Fire Prevention page.