I usually don't do this, but four years ago my home burnt down as someone left a tealight buring on top of his tv.

three lives could have been saved if he had have had a smoke detector.


So please, check your smoke detector. If its not working, get it fixed. Some fire brigades will give and install one for free. Check it for any elderly relatives, or friends or neighbours too. It doesn't take long. Put it on today's list of chores, not tomorrows - tomorrow could be too late.

We check ours regularily and you find that the suggestions over here are that when the clocks change forward/back change the battery in your smoke detectors,

Strikes me as a brilliant idea!

BTW, the tally in this house (i'm staying at friends) was 2 working, 2 not......

So come on peeps, it doesn't take much work!

Mine works off the mains, batteries are included just incase of a power cut

Mind you, last year my OH left the grill on and fell asleep (slightly drunk), i woke to the sound of the alarm going off...my 15 yr old son woke too...my 13 yr old didn't hear a thing even thought it's right outside his room, that has we worried

considering the volume of those things, yeah, that would have mine worried. Glad you have a handy dandy one capable of dealing with power cuts, as power cables have a habit of being burned through if there's a fire and the fusebox is burned...;-)

And consider what OH did free testing ;-)

I thought this thread was in response to this weeks dreadful news in Calgary .... http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald...1-598bf970b07c

"The blaze broke out early Monday morning when it is thought a space heater was too close to combustible material.

There was no battery in the fire detector, the fire department said, and there were security bars blocking the windows."

No Morwenna, though that is tragic enough.

this is a yearly action on my part as a result of my flatblock being burnt down by the neighbour.

I do remember that.

If you have a parent who is hard of hearing and strapped for cash you may want to buy them a smoke detector that has a flashing light and a shakey thing to wake them.

I check mine from time to time, as do a fire supply company as required by provincial law once per year, since I rent in a apartment building.

All should be working.

I also have a battery one as I dont trust the electrical powered ones standard in the apartment here.

And a carbon monoxide detector too.

ideally, yeah, carbon monoxide too, though there's less chance of that depending on what kind of heating system you have- most houses have more than a few cracks though i understand canadian ones are well insulated, so definitely!

Mine goes off most mornings when I burn the toast..

Depends. Nothing in my building gives off carbon monoxide we are 100% electric, but they are essential anywhere that burns oil or gas, or has a fire place.

We have a Carbon one electrical as well as 5 smoke alarms,
I changed all mine already but will go a nd double check, good call Debs