London firefighters are going door-to-door this week, checking on families to make sure they have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
The fire department is doing it as part of carbon monoxide awareness week, which runs from November 1-7.
Not only are firefighters making sure people's alarms are in check, Acting Deputy Fire Chief Jack Burt said, they're also making sure people's fuel-burning appliances are in order as winter starts to set in.
"If you do have a wood stove or a fuel-fired appliance we recommend you have it maintained yearly and you have a qualified technician do that maintenance for you so that you will have them running optimally," he said.
Burt said if, during the fire department's house call, families have smoke or carbon monoxide detectors that either don't work, or are getting old, firefighters will replace them free of charge.
In certain cases, fines are possible if homes don't have working alarms, but Burt said fire investigators usually only lay charges against landlords who don't follow the law.
Homeowners can face a $360 fine upon conviction for smoke or carbon monoxide detectors that aren't in proper working condition, while landlords can face an individual fine of up to $50,000 upon conviction, or in the case of a corporation, up to $200,000.
Link to original article in CBC News: Why you might find a London firefighter on your doorstep this week