Fire & Rescue - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Can I have a fire in my backyard?
Q4: Is the fire department available for public appearances?
Q5: Are outdoor fireplaces or burning rubbish in my back yard against the Fire Code?
Q6: What kind of fire extinguisher should I buy?
Q7: Do I need to put a smoke alarms in every room? How many do I need?
Q8: Does the Fire Department get cats (or other pets) out of trees?
Q9: Do you still have the red "HEARTS" to indicate a child's bedroom?
Q12: Does the Fire Department sell fire exit signs and sell and/or inspect fire extinguishers?
Q13: Are fire escapes required in my duplex?
Q14: Can I install a wood stove in my home?
Q15: Where should a carbon monoxide detector be located in the home?
Answers
A1: No. Open air burning is not allowed in the Town of Amherstburg. Top
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A2: Retrofit legislation as described in Part 9 of the Fire Code addresses the upgrade of existing buildings. Under Part 9 of the Fire Code, alteration may require some construction, renovations or additions. A building permit may be required for some of this work. The buildings concerned include:
assembly occupancies, rooming houses, health-care facilities, and multi-unit residential buildings.Residential buildings with two dwelling units must also meet the retrofit safety regulations. They must have:
an electrical inspection by and subsequent approval from the Electrical Safety Authority,
smoke alarms, fire separations and adequate exits. Top
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A3: It is the legal responsibility of the building owner to install and maintain your smoke alarm. This includes condominiums. The condominium corporation the owner. We give away smoke alarms, preferably to people who cannot afford them. Top
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A4: Fire Prevention will do Special Occasion Calls, such as children's days, seniors’ lectures and school programs. Contact the office at 736-6500. Top
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A5: The Fire Code is written to protect the public from unsafe fire practices. The code reads: 2.6.3.4 Open air burning shall not be permitted unless approved, or unless such burning consists of a small, confined fire, supervised at all times, and used to cook food on a grill or a barbecue. Burning rubbish or using an outdoor fireplace for a purpose other than cooking food, in the manner described in the code, are violations of the Fire Code. In addition to the fire code regulations, Amherstburg has a burning by law, which includes provisions and limitations, such as no bar-bq’s on balconys of apartments. For a copy of the burning by law click HERE. Top
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A6: Homeowners should buy an extinguisher that can handle class A-B-C fires. They should be designed to extinguish fires that usually occur in homes; including wood, paper, flammable liquids and electrical fires. Check the fire prevention button on the home page for more information on extinguishers.Top
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A7: Smoke alarms should be placed outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. On floors without bedrooms, detectors should be installed in or near living areas such as dens, living rooms, or family rooms. We also recommend installing a smoke alarm in the bedrooms of pre-teens. For more information on smoke alarms click on the fire prevention button on home page. Top
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A8: No, they do not. You might contact the Humane Society or Erie wildlife rescue. Top
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A9: No. In our "Plan to Get Out Alive" program, we encourage everyone to plan their own escape in advance and to practice it regularly. The red heart program was ineffective because people were moving and leaving the stickers on the windows, using the stickers on all of their windows, and putting them on windows where their pets were being kept. This made the indicator a very unreliable source of information for the firefighters. Top
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A10: This is not a Fire Code issue. However, it may be an issue with the Ministry of the Environment. Top
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A11:The Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997 and the Ontario Fire Code can be found on the E-laws website. They are also available for purchase from Publications Ontario. Top
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A12: The Fire Department does not sell exit signs or fire extinguishers, nor do we inspect extinguishers. Top
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