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WE'VE MOVED! |
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The Administrative and West Inspection Office of the Fire Prevention Division of Hamilton Emergency Services - Fire have relocated from their former location in Dundas to: 55 King William Street, Hamilton, ON - Effective Monday, January 30th, 2012
The main reception phone number for the Fire Prevention Bureau remains unchanged at 905-546-2424 ext. 1380.
Our Fax number has changed to:
Fire Prevention Administration:
905-546-4566
Fire Prevention West Office Inspector's: 905-546-4137
Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. , Monday to Friday |
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Career Full Time Probationary Firefighter Recruitment - 2012 |
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The 2012 recruitment process is now open from Thursday, January 19th, 2012 to Wednesday, February 15th, 2012. Details on the recruitment process can be found on our careers page or at the attached link on the City of Hamilton website.
Join us at one of our information sessions:
- Thursday, February 2,2012 at the Multi-Agency Training Centre - 1227 Stone Church Road East (at Nebo Road) Hamilton, from 7pm - 9pm
or
- Thursday,February 9,2012 in the Auditorium of Sir John A. MacDonald High School - 130 York Boulevard, Hamilton, from 7pm-9pm
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Is Your Wood Stove Safe? |
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Improperly installed and maintained wood stoves and fireplaces can lead to dangerous conditions that can put you and your family at risk.
Have your chimney and wood burning appliance inspected and cleaned annually by a WETT (Wood Energy Technical Training) certified chimney sweep.
Burn only dry, seasoned wood to reduce the risk of an excessive creosote build-up from inefficient or smouldering fires.Stack wood outdoors in an open area or in a shed located away from your dwelling.
Allow ashes to fully cool before you clean them from the appliance. Store them in a metal non-combustible container outdoors and away from any buildings.
For additional protection, install a ULC listed carbon monoxide (CO) alarm in your home. Note: The City of Hamilton requires that a Building Permit be obtained for the installation of a wood burning appliance.
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Space Heater Fire Safety Tips |
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The cold winter months are upon us and many citizens will use portable space heaters to supplement their homes heating system. Please take the time to read the following space heater fire safety tips. In addition to smoke a smoke alarm, you should also install a carbon monoxide detector outside of the sleeping areas in your home.
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Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment - Now Closed |
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Recruitment for Volunteer Firefighters is now closed. For more information and details concerning this past recruitment drive, visit our careers page . |
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Cooking - The Number One Cause of House Fires |
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Unattended cooking remains as the number one cause of house fires in the City of Hamilton. If you must leave the kitchen for any reason ... turn off the appliance! Always keep a large lid near the stove and if the pot catches fire, slide the lid over the pot and turn off the stove. Wear short or tight fitting sleeves while cooking and never attempt to carry a burning pot or pan. Never use water on a grease fire. This will only spread the fire and further endanger you ... watch the following video. |
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Frozen Water Pipes? ... Tap Into These Tips |
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With the recent onset of freezing temperatures, there is the chance that you could experience frozen water pipes in your home. The use of electrical equipment (including arc welders) that is not CSA certified for pipe thawing is a contravention of the Electrical Safety Code and has the potential to start a fire.
Should you experience frozen pipes,take the following steps to ensure your safety:
- If the frozen section is the waterline from your property line to the city watermain,call 905-546 CITY (2489)
- If the frozen section is on your property, hire a qualified contractor who uses only CSA certified equipment to thaw the pipes
- If you want to attempt to thaw out the pipes yourself, use hot water bottles,hot towels, a hair dryer or a small portable heater. NEVER USE AN OPEN FLAME TO THAW THE PIPE.
You can prevent water pipes from freezing in unheated areas of your home by use of insulation or opening a faucet in the area to allow a small trickle of water or by having an electrician install baseboard heaters in the area.
For business and residential properties that are equipped with automatic sprinkler protection, precautions must be taken to protect both the piping and main sprinkler valve, as frozen piping will not allow water flow to suppress a fire should one occur. There is also the possiblity that sprinkler piping could break due to ice expansion if systems are not properly protected. |
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Recall Notice - HP Fax Machines, Models 1040 and 1050 |
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Health Canada is notifying the public that the Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) has announced a voluntary recall of of HP Fax Machines, Models 1040 and 1050. The machine may overheat due to an internal electrical component failure, posing a fire and burn hazard. While Health Canada has not received any reports of incidents or injuries related to these fax machines, Hewlet-Packard is aware of one incident in Ontario.Consumers should stop using the recalled product immediately and contact HP for a rebate on the purchase of a replacement HP fax machine or designated HP ink jet printers. The attached recall notice provides more information:
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Smoking Safety |
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Careless use of and disposal of smoking materials is consistently one of the leading causes of fires in the City of Hamilton, causing thousands of dollars of damage and many injuries.
Cigarettes can cause a fire that may smoulder for hours before it produces flames. For this reason, please follow these fire safety tips to protect you and your family:
- Never smoke when you feel tired or drowsy and NEVER smoke in bed
- Never leave a burning cigarette unattended
- Use only deep, non-combustibe ashtrays and make sure their contents are completely cool or fully wet before you dispose of them
- Keep matches and lighters in a secure place out of reach of children
- If possible, restrict smoking to outdoor locations away from buildings/sheds and combustible materials.
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Electrical Safety |
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Electricity is all around us. Yet in Hamilton electrical fires also remain one of the top causes of fire each year.
Circuit breakers and fuses in electrical panels are designed to prevent overloading and subsequent overheating of household wiring which could in turn could lead to a fire.If a fuse blows or a circuit is tripped, do not replace the fuse or reset the breaker until you know what caused the circuit to overload. If the problem continues, you may have too much of a load on the circuit.
Always use the services of a qualified electrician to conduct repairs or upgrades to your homes wiring - improper repairs or installations can cause a serious injury or start a fire! |
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"No Time to Spare" - See how fast a fire spreads in 3 Minutes |
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How much time do you have? ... If a fire starts in your home .. are you prepared? ... Are your smoke alarms working? ... Have you tested your smoke alarms? .... Do you have a home fire escape plan? ... Your answers to these questions may be the difference between life and death. Take the next three minutes and see how quickly a fire spreads. "No Time to Spare" is a fire re-enactment in an actual home. Watch the clock, listen for smoke alarms and think about the time it takes for you to escape from a fire in your home. |
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knowfire.ca - Fire Safety Videos for Students |
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For many students, attending College or University also involves a move to a new City and the search for affordable housing off campus. While affordability may be a key issue in determining where you will live, another consideration that must be paramount in the minds of both students and their families is fire safety.
Planning ahead for fire safety may be secondary to other issues such as studying, parties and part-time work. Many young adults don't believe that a fire will ever happen to them. Please take the time and watch the fire safety videos on knowfire.ca and think about fire safety in your home .... every day! For more information view our student housing fire safety pamphlet. |
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After the Fire - A Guide to Recovery |
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A fire in your home or business can be one of life's most traumatic experiences. You will have many questions about what to do next and how to clean up, repair and replace what has been lost. The attached pamphlet, "After the Fire - A Guide to Recovery" will answer many of those questions you may have. |
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Tanker Shuttle Service Accreditation |
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Hamilton Emergency Services have achieved Fire Department Tanker Shuttle Service Accreditation in all rural areas of the City. Click here to be redirected to our Tanker Shuttle Service Accreditation page or follow the link on the left to learn more about how this can affect your insurance premiums. Visit this page in order to print a copy of the Accreditation Letter for your area. |
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Accommodations for Migrant Workers on Farms |
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Many large farming operations rely on migrant workers to assist in planting or harvesting crops and as a result have a need to provide short-term on-site sleeping accommodations for these workers. While farm buildings are generally exempt from the requirements of the Ontario Fire Code, this exemption does not apply to residential occupancies on farms.
Fire safety requirements of the Ontario Fire Code are dependant upon the number of occupants in a residential occupancy. For more information on these requirements or to inquire about having a free fire safety inspection completed of your residential occupancy for migrant workers please contact the Fire Prevention Division of Hamilton Emergency Services at 905 546-2424 ext. 1380, weekdays between the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm.
For additional information please review the attached Fire Marshal’s Office Communique. |
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Changes to Open Air Burning Regulations in The Ontario Fire Code |
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The latest edition of the Ontario Fire Code was enacted on November 21, 2007 and contains a revision to open air burning regulations. Certain types of outdoor fireplaces, fuelled by natural gas or propane are now permitted in all areas of the City without having to obtain an open air burning permit. The attached Information Sheet will provide you with additional information or please feel free to contact our Fire Prevention Division at 905 546-2424 ext 1380, weekdays between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm. |
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"Make It Stop!" .... Advice for Dealing with Nuisance Alarms |
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Every home in Ontario must have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas - It's The Law.
While Ontario fire loss statistics indicate that most homes have smoke alarms installed, many of those devices are not working. Frustration due to frequent nuisance alarms is considered to be the primary reason people remove batteries or disconnect the power from their smoke alarms. For more information, follow the link below:
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Important Information Concerning VoIP and 911 |
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The Ontario 9-1-1 Advisory Board have released important information for consumers regarding the use of Voice over Internet Protocol telephone service. View the attached Public Alert for more information and listen to the attached Public Service Announcement:
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Fireworks for Festivals and Special Events |
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If you are planning to use fireworks as part of an upcoming event (religious or cultural festivals, weddings etc.) you must use the services of a Fireworks Supervisor to set off the fireworks. Click on these links for details on the process involved and for a list of Fireworks Supervisors who can provide this service. |
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20lb Propane Cylinders Cause Safety Concerns |
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The Office of the Fire Marshal have issued the following warning concerning a safety issue with 20lb propane barbeque-type cylinders. This warning involves cylinders that are available to the public at cylinder exchange facilities and are identified on the label with Tank Traders/Superior Propane.
For additional information concerning all Safety Issues, Product Recalls and Warnings, please follow the attached link:
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