Our meetings start at 10, but most arrive by 9:30 to socialize. We meet upstairs in the Albion Bolton Community Centre. Friendly greeters welcome you and show you the upstairs meeting room.
Gillian Boyd, Public Educator with the Caledon Fire Department
Gillian Boyd, the Town Of Caledon safety education officer spoke to us for the last time as she is retiring at the end of the year and she gave us a rundown of the situation in Caledon. There are nine fire stations, but only one full-time, which is in Bolton. A 10th station is planned on the west side of Highway 10 north of Mayfield. She explained that volunteers could take a long time to respond but only the full-time station in Bolton is continuously manned.
In Caledon, there are over 4000 calls a year and the number is increasing because of the extra residents and more industry coming to town. Less than 10% of calls are for actual fires, 50% for medical emergency and 40% for traffic accidents. In Ontario the province had 111 fatalities in 2024 from Fire, 85% of fires are residential. Unfortunately 50% of homes do not have a working smoke alarm fewer have a carbon monoxide detector. We should aim to prevent fires, especially as today’s fires burn hotter and faster than 40 years ago due to open plan homes, flimsy construction materials, and more electrical gadgets.
Smoke kills more people than fire and statistically, you have two minutes to escape. It is always important to have an escape route. Typical causes of fires are candles, heating equipment, smoking articles and unattended cooking. She stressed unattended, cooking distractions abound so we should always set timers, especially if leaving a room. Always keep a pot handy (to cover the burning pan), and never put water on a fire and do not take it outside.
Dryer fires are very common. We should prevent these by removing the lint and having the vent checked regularly.
Candles should always be placed in non-combustible containers and not placed next to combustible materials.
Lithium batteries are everywhere these days and the risk is low. However, consequences are high as they burn at very high temperatures and spark. We should always store them safely following manufacturers instructions. Don’t leave them charging and always use the correct charger. We should stop using a battery if there is a sign of a problem such as odour, colour change, heat, change in shape, leaking or hissing noise.
Ms Boyd recommended having an ABC multipurpose fire extinguisher placed near to a door when asked about fire blankets. She said they should be top grade and are not recommended to put out a fire, especially if not accredited in Canada because light blankets can actually worsen the fire. be careful of placing items on top of gas stoves as well.
Carbon monoxide detectors are very important. They should be replaced regularly and checked regularly when planning your escape route remember to close doors and make sure they are open to the outside. The goal is to get out before smoke becomes dangerous because smoke changes into gas which burns lungs. Our municipal numbers should be reflective so emergency services can see them.
Miss Boyd can be reached at 905-584-2272 extension 4303 and she is willing to confer with you and make a house visit to check on your individual situation.