The Norfolk County Fire Department sure was busy in 2022.
Fire Prevention Officer Cory Armstrong Smith talked to us, noting that the number of actual structure fires was down slightly from 2021 but the amount of calls they had to respond to was way up.
Many people listening may be wondering, how do you have 1038 calls but only deal with 148 fires?
Open air burning is a big issue in Norfolk, with backyard fires common but complaints about them just as common.
Another big trend they saw was the amount of alarm calls they have been sent out to.
Armstrong Smith said that is the fire department’s new years resolution – encouraging people to make sure they know how their alarms work.
If you have a carbon monoxide alarm, know what the beeps mean and if you have a home alarm, make sure it’s calling who you want it to call.
Several times the Fire Department will be phoned by the alarm company when it’s not an issue they can resolve, but they still must respond.
When it comes to those 148 actual fires, there are the common trends.
Armstrong Smith says he talks to homeowners all the time, and it’s usually the same story.
Most of these fires and calls are preventable, and when they do come in, it awakens a big machine and a lot of people.
And those responses are not cheap, as you want the most people and the best equipment responding to an emergency.
Complacency is the biggest issue the fire department faces every year.
The mindset that if it has been done this way before, it is fine to do it now.
Armstrong Smith encourages residents to check out their bylaw for open air burning and if you have an electrical device at your home that is not working right, a toaster that sparks when you plug it in or a furnace that makes a loud bang whenever it turns on, check it out.
It may not be cheap to have it looked at, but it will be better than losing your entire home.
