CALL 9-1-1 IN AN EMERGENCY!

On November 24, 1999, 9-1-1 was activated for all residents of the County of Renfrew and the City of Pembroke. Residents should call 9-1-1 in the event of a police, fire or medical emergency only. Do not call 9-1-1 to see if it works or to request information. All properties have their own unique civic address and you will be required to give the operator the civic address of your location. The civic address consists of your house or property number, the street/road/lane name and the name of your municipality.

In 2003, the Fire Department responded to approximately 130 calls ranging from fire suppression, motor vehicle rescues and false alarms.

In addition to fire suppression duties, members of the fire department also provide ongoing fire prevention education to senior’s groups, schools, service groups and the general public about developing home escape and fire safety plans. Distribution of smoke alarms and replacement batteries and installation of alarms on request are all part of the department’s smoke alarm program.

Another service provided by the fire department is fire safety inspections. Regular inspections are conducted of nursing homes, homes for the aged and hotels & motels.

In order to ensure that our volunteers have the most up-to-date knowledge and skills required to provide fire and rescue services, fire fighters take training courses at the Ontario Fire College in Gravenhurst throughout the year. Courses taken include confined space rescue, agriculture rescue, propane, flash over, fire cause & determination and firefighting modules. Training is also conducted in-house at each fire station a minimum of two sessions a month.

SMOKE ALARMS: It’s The Law!

Amendment to the Ontario Fire Code requires working smoke alarms on every level

A recent amendment to the Ontario Fire Code now requires homes to have working smoke alarms on every level. This is in addition to the existing requirement of having smoke alarms outside all sleeping areas. The amendment applies to all single-family, semi-detached and town houses, whether owner-occupied or rented.

For homeowners, that may mean purchasing additional smoke alarms and installing them on every level of their home and outside all sleeping areas. Failure to do so could result in a ticket for $235.

Landlords must make sure their rental properties comply with the law. Individual landlords who fail to comply with the Fire Code smoke alarm requirement can face penalties of up to $25,000.

Tenants of rental properties are encouraged to contact their landlords immediately if they do not have the required number of smoke alarms. Once smoke alarms are installed, tenants cannot remove the batteries or tamper with the alarm in any way. If they do so, the tenant could be subject to a ticket for $235.

The Fire Code amendment comes into effect on March 1, 2006. After that date, fire departments will be enforcing the regulation in communities throughout Ontario.

For further information about smoke alarms, please contact the Fire Department.

OPEN AIR BURNING:

Between April 1st and October 31st in each year, no person shall ignite an open air fire without first obtaining a fire permit from the Township Municipal Office located in Cobden or from a Fire Warden as appointed by the Township. Fire permits are FREE. The material to be burned shall be limited to wood or by-products of wood. During the fire season no person shall ignite an open air fire before 6:00 p.m. and all persons shall extinguish an open air fire no later than 8:00 a.m. All fires must be attended by an adult at all time until the fire has been fully extinguished.

Open air burning that consists of a small confined fire, supervised at all times and is being used to cook food on a grill or barbecue, or is for personal warmth does not require a fire permit. This is the only open air burning that is permitted within the Hamlets of Westmeath and Lapasse (as designated in the former Township of Westmeath Official Plan) and the suburban area as designated in the former Township of Ross Official Plan. Open air fires are NOT permitted at any time or for any reason within the former Villages of Beachburg and Cobden.

Any person who starts an open air fire from April 1st to October 31st is liable to a fine provided for in the Provincial Offences Act R.S.O., 1990, c.P 33 as amended.

Open Air Burning By-Law #02-01-52

FIRE WARDENS

Joey Trimm
Daryl McLaughlin
Vincent Gervais
Allen Dick
Jim Labow

CODE ENFORCEMENT

The Township of Whitewater Region has three lines of defense that includes fire prevention & public education, code enforcement and emergency response.

One section under code enforcement involves burning by-laws & permits. This involves the education of municipal office staff and fire wardens that issue fire permits, enforcing the open air burning by-law and establishing a fine schedule and restricted fire zone areas in Whitewater Region as deemed necessary.

The Fire Code is another section of code enforcement. This involves certain businesses being reviewed annually and building plan examinations of any new or modified buildings as identified by the Chief Building Official. It also includes residential code enforcement inspections upon the receipt of a complaint or request. Smoke alarms also fall under this section with a heavy emphasis on smoke alarm prevention & education and enforcement being a last resort.