Today is a great day to test your smoke alarms.
Sunday is Test Your Smoke Alarm Day in Saskatchewan, and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency is encouraging all residents of the province to do exactly that.
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According to the agency, almost 60 per cent of fire deaths occur in homes that are either unequipped with alarms, or in homes where the alarms failed to function at the moment when they were most needed.
“It is simple – working smoke alarms save lives,” Wayne Rodger, a fire marshal with the public safety agency, explained in a statement.
“We encourage all residents to test their smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button to make sure the alarm is working. One simple beep could make all the difference in protecting you and your loved ones.”
According to the provincial government, a house fire can go from a spark to a life-threatening blaze in less than two minutes, meaning a functional alarm can easily make the difference between life and death.
Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms have been required in all residential buildings in the province since July of 2022, the agency noted.
More information on smoke alarms can be found on the provincial government’s website.