Fire Service

Inside the home:

• Check and clean your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

• Check your fire extinguishers.

• Check for overloaded or damaged extension cords.

• Check and clean filters above stove.

• Practice exit drills with your family so everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency.

• Properly store household chemicals and never mix cleaning agents.

• Pull refrigerator out and vacuum or dust the coils.

• Always keep stairs and landings clear for safe evacuation in event of an emergency.

Outside and around the yard:

• Make sure your address numbers are up and visible from the street.

• Clean up yard debris. Cut back dead limbs and grasses.

• Check outdoor electrical outlets and other electrical appliances.

• Get your BBQ grill cleaned and serviced.  Check all propane tanks and lines for leaks and damage.

In the garage or shed:

• Clean up and properly store paints, pool and yard chemicals.

• Check fuel containers for leaks and make sure they are properly stored.

• Have all power equipment cleaned, serviced and ready for use.

• Let power equipment sit for approximately 30 minutes before placing it inside.

Summer Fire Safety

It's Barbeque Season! 

• All barbeque grills must only be used outdoors — using grills indoors or in enclosed spaces is not only a fire hazard, but it exposes occupants to toxic gasses and potential asphyxiation.

• Always position the grill well away from combustible objects — buildings, fences, deck railings and landscaping can easily and quickly ignite.

• Get your grill cleaned and serviced. Check all propane tanks and lines for leaks and damage.

• Never leave a lit grill unattended.

• Always use long handled grilling utensils and heat resistant oven mitts to avoid exposure burns from heat and flames.

• Periodically remove grease build-up in catch trays to prevent it from igniting.

• Keep a garden hose nearby, connected and ready for use in case of a fire.

Backyard Recreational Fires

Small outdoor recreational fires are allowed within the Town of LaSalle. Review our Recreational Fire Information below to ensure fire safety and compliance according to by-law. Within the Town of LaSalle, a small outdoor fire such as a campfire, set within a confined area or device such as an outdoor fireplace or fire pit, situated in a “Safe Location” and measuring no greater than one square metre (approx. 3.5 feet) in any dimension is permitted when the subsequent sections of the by-law are followed.

• The “Safe Location” shall be a minimum of 5 metres (approx. 17 feet) from any structure and a minimum of 3 metres (approx. 10 feet) from adjacent property lines.

  • The fire must be fueled only with “acceptable burn material”: o Charcoal, briquettes, small amounts of white or brown paper or cardboard, dry seasoned wood, wood by-products that have not been chemically treated, painted or stained, purchased fire logs.

  • The following materials are “prohibited burn material” – asphalt products, tires, treated wood, construction material or rubble, grass/leaves, kitchen garbage, or any garbage or trash, rubber, plastics and all like items.

• The fire must be set and supervised at all times by a competent adult.

• Effective means of extinguishing must be readily available.

• The fire must be fully extinguished before being left unsupervised

No person shall set or maintain a Recreational Fire or Open Fire under the following conditions:

• When the wind conditions in such direction or intensity so as to cause any or all of the following:During a period of “Poor Air Quality” or a High Risk Period.

  • To have smoke or debris interfere with public roadways.

  • Threaten a rapid spread of fire.

  • Interfere with a neighbours enjoyment of the normal use of their property or cause of discomfort in the immediate area.

This is a summary of frequently asked questions and is intended as a reference tool only. All recreational fires set within the Town of LaSalle are subject to all regulations set out in by-law 7170. Please refer to the by-law for complete restrictions, details & penalties. The by-law is available by visiting the Fire Station at 1900 Normandy St.

Fall Fire Safety

 Outside the Home

• Never park your car or truck over a pile of leaves.  The heat from the vehicle's catalytic converter or exhaust system can ignite the leaves below.  The resulting fire could destroy your vehicle.

• Flammable liquids should not be stored in inside the home or in an attached garage or shed. This includes any unused fuel still in the fuel tank. Store this equipment away from your home or drain excess fuel out of the tank before storing. This simple safety precaution will help prevent accidental fires from escaping fuel vapors.

• Remove fuel from lawn mowers before storing them for winter.

• Contact your utility company if trees or branches are not clear of power lines

• Prune back trees, and rake up leaves and debris. If you live in an open area with a lot of natural vegetation, consider creating a defensible fire zone around your home. Prune the bottom branches from trees and remove shrubs and trees within 20 feet of your home

• Don’t store cardboard boxes, paper or other flammable materials in the backyard. These materials provide ready fuel for a fire and all it takes is one spark.

Heating your Home

• Check all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work, and change the batteries.  It is the law for all Ontario homes to have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. This covers single family, semi-detached and town homes, whether owner-occupied or rented.

• Have a useable fire extinguisher available.

Central Heating

• Get your central heating system cleaned, inspected and serviced by a certified HVAC (heating, venting and air conditioning) contractor every year before using it.

• If you have a gas heater, make sure that you have a sufficient quantity of fully functioning carbon monoxide detectors installed in your home.

• Keep all flammable materials away from your furnace.  This includes, clothing, paint products, toxic materials, cardboard and more.

Fireplaces and Woodstoves

• Have heating appliances serviced and chimney flues examined for defects.

• Have fireplaces and fireplace dampers checked.

• Fireplaces should be equipped with an appropriate screen or glass enclosure to prevent sparks from flying out.

• Wood burning stoves should be examined and the flue and chimney checked for creosote buildup.  Creosote is a deposit from smoke that can build up in a chimney and can start a fire.

• Use only seasoned woods, and avoid soft woods like Pine, etc.

• Never use a flammable liquid to start a fireplace.

• Never overload the hearth with wood or artificial logs, the resulting fire may be too large for the unit.

• Put all ashes outdoors and away from the house in a metal container.

Space Heaters

• Make sure that any space heaters are surrounded by at least three feet of empty space.

• Never place clothing or any other objects on a space heater to dry.

• Do not place space heaters near furniture or drapery.

• Turn space heaters off when you leave the house or go to bed.

• Avoid storing any combustible items near heaters.

In The Home

• Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.   Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.

• Do not overload electrical outlets or use extension cords in the place of additional outlets.

• Check electrical appliances regularly for wearing cords and plugs.  Do not leave electrical appliances plugged in if they do not need to be.

• Lack of maintenance is the number one cause of dryer fires. That is why it is critical to clean the lint filter before and after each use, and wipe away any lint that has accumulated around the drum.  Perform periodic checks to ensure that the air exhaust vent pipe is unobstructed (lint accumulation) and the outdoor vent flap opens readily.  Do not run the dryer without a lint filter. You are encouraged to not leave the dryer running if you go out, in case it malfunctions.

Candles

• Extinguish candles when leaving the room or going to sleep. Keep lit candles away from items that can catch fire

• Place candles in sturdy, burn-resistant containers that won’t tip over and are big enough to collect dripping wax.

• Don’t place lit candles near windows, where blinds or curtains may close or blow over them.

• Don’t use candles in high traffic areas where children or pets could knock them over.

• Never let candles burn out completely. Extinguish them when they get to within two inches of the holder or decorative material.

• Never leave children or pets alone in a room with lit candles.

• Do not allow older children to light candles in their bedrooms. A forgotten candle or an accident is all it takes to start a fire.

• During power outages, exercise caution when using candles as a light source. Many destructive fires start when potential fire hazards go unnoticed in the dark.

• Never use a candle for light when fuelling equipment such as a camp fuel heater or lantern.

• Keep candle wicks short at all times. Trim the wick to one-quarter inch (6.4 mm).

• Be wary of buying novelty candles. Avoid candles surrounded by flammable paint, paper, dried flowers, or breakable/meltable containers.

• Extinguish taper and pillar candles when they burn to within two inches of the holder, and container candles before the last half-inch of wax begins to melt.

• When buying or using novelty candles, try to determine if they pose a potential fire hazard (if they contain a combustible component for instance). If they do, or if you suspect that they might, inform your local fire department.

• Use extreme caution when carrying a lit candle, holding it well away from your clothes and any combustibles that may be along your path.

Winter Fire Safety

Fire Hydrant 

Fire Chief Ed Thiessen encourages all LaSalle residents to “Be a Hydrant Hero!” If you have a fire hydrant on or near your property, do your part to keep it accessible this winter. In a fire emergency, every second counts. 

• Remove any snow and ice.

• Clear a wide enough perimeter around the hydrant for firefighters to work (3 feet).

• Clear a path from hydrant to street.

Chief Thiessen urges LaSalle residents to stay warm and safe this winter!

Heating Safety Tips from Chief Thiessen:

• Have your fuel-burning appliances inspected annually by a registered contractor.

• Your chimney may have problems you can’t see. Have your chimneys cleaned and inspected annually.

• Keep vents for furnaces and heating appliances free of ice, snow, and debris to prevent deadly carbon monoxide build-up.

• Watch for smoke coming into the room from the woodstove or fireplace. Chimney may be blocked or have a faulty damper control mechanism.

• Burn dry wood in fireplaces and woodstoves to reduce build-up of dangerous creosote in chimneys.

• Protect your home from sparks. Use a fire screen around the fireplace.

• Burn dry wood in fireplaces and woodstoves to reduce build-up of dangerous creosote in chimneys.

• Allow fireplace and woodstove ashes to cool before disposing. Put in metal container with lid. Keep the container outside.

• Keep anything that can burn a safe distance away from wood stoves and fireplaces.

• Keep space heaters at least 1 metre away from things that burn i.e. curtains, upholstery, clothing.

• Replace worn or damaged electrical wires and connections on vehicle block heaters and extension cords.
  

Carbon Monoxide

LaSalle firefighters remind you to maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in your home. Install smoke alarms on every storey of your home and outside all sleeping areas. CO alarms are required outside all bedrooms. Test your smoke and CO alarms every month and install new batteries when needed.

To protect yourself and your family, take a walk around the outside of your home and make sure the intake and exhaust vents for furnaces and heating appliances are free of ice, snow, debris.