In recent years, fire-related deaths in British Columbia have risen at an alarming rate. From 2018 to 2022, there was a 207% increase in fire-related deaths and less than half of the fires had a working smoke alarm installed.
These numbers highlight the importance of fire safety, and that’s where the FireSafe Program steps in to make fire prevention more accessible for BC communities.
What is the FireSafe Program?
The FireSafe Program is an initiative led by the BC Office of the Fire Commissioner and the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit, which is dedicated to promoting fire prevention across British Columbia. The ultimate goal is to make sure more homes have a working smoke alarm.
Product Care Recycling is proud to support this important program as part of our ongoing effort to promote community safety and environmental care. This initiative is dedicated to helping BC residents protect their homes and families by offering:
- Free household fire alarm inspections to identify potential risks.
- Fire safety education, including how to create a fire escape plan tailored to your home.
- Free smoke alarm installations for homes without functional alarms.
FireSafe firefighters visit homes in high-risk areas to bring fire safety resources directly to families.
Why a fire alarm matters to your home
Fire alarms may be easy to overlook, but they are a powerful tool to help residents react quickly to fire emergencies. According to Statistics Canada, homes equipped with working smoke alarms have significantly lower fatality rates in fires:
- Only 26% of fire-related fatalities occurred in homes with functioning smoke alarms.
- A shocking 74% of fire-related deaths happened in homes without working alarms.
This data highlights a simple but critical action you can take: make sure your household fire alarm is operational. Take a moment to reflect—when was the last time you checked your smoke or carbon monoxide alarms?
If you’re unsure, it might be time to prioritize fire safety. Explore topics like how to test smoke alarms, understand radioactive material in smoke alarms, and learn the difference between a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector. You might also find it helpful to discover which smoke alarm best fits your home or explore five strategies to improve fire safety in your home.
How you can participate in the FireSafe program
The FireSafe Program runs across BC, focusing on high-risk areas where firefighters provide free smoke alarm inspections and installations. While not all communities will be reached immediately, the program is working to expand its coverage over the next year or two. To find out if your community is included, visit the FireSafe website for a list of selected areas.
Here’s how you can get involved:
- Share the program with your community—friends, family, and neighbours.
- Stay proactive by testing your fire alarms at least once a year.
- Replace expired or broken carbon monoxide or smoke alarms and recycle them responsibly at productcare.org/alarms
