During the winter, fire hydrants can become buried in snow banks and drifts. Property owners with a hydrant on their property should shovel around it to make access easy and to help firefighters find them.
Remember fire safety this winter
AJAX -- Fires don't take the winter off, so ensuring a blaze doesn't happen shouldn't either.
Ajax Fire and Emergency Services wants to remind residents that in addition to clearing snow from driveways and walkways, they should also ensure there's no build up around exit doors or furnace vents. To ensure there's easy access, all exit doors, stairways and fire escapes should be kept clear of the white stuff.
Building owners and landlords should check their properties to make sure they're clear of snow.
During the winter, fire hydrants can become buried in snow banks and drifts. Property owners with a hydrant on their property should shovel around it to make access easy and to help firefighters find them.
Vent pipes from a direct vent furnace could also become buried in snow. A built-in safety feature should shut the furnace off if the vent is blocked. However, carbon monoxide build-up could happen before shutdown.
The Ajax fire services has responded to almost 100 calls for carbon monoxide problems in homes since the start of November of 2008. In most cases, individuals had been warming their vehicles in an attached garage.
Residents are advised not to warm up vehicles in an attached garage, but to move them out into the driveway.
For more fire safety tips, call the fire prevention office at 905-683-7791.