Central York Fire Services (CYFS) is reminding residents to prioritize fire safety this Thanksgiving long weekend. CYFS encourages safe cooking practices, including never leaving cooking unattended, keeping flammable items away from heat sources and having a fire extinguisher readily available in the kitchen.
CYFS is also working alongside the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) for Fire Prevention Week now until October 11. This year will be focusing on the importance on how to buy, charge and recycle safely when it comes to lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ion Battery Safety
As lithium-ion batteries become more common in our homes, it is critical to understand how to use and handle them safely. Central York Fire Services reminds residents to follow three essential steps to reduce the risk of battery-related fires in your home:
Buy safely: always purchase devices and batteries that display a recognized safety certification mark such as UL, ETL or CSA. These marks indicate the product meets established safety standards.
Charge safely: use only the charger and power cords provided by the device manufacturer, or those that have been approved for use with the device. Charge devices on a hard, flat surface and avoid overcharging by unplugging the device or removing the battery once it is fully charged.
Recycle responsibly: never dispose of lithium-ion batteries in household trash or curbside recycling bins as they can pose a fire hazard. Instead, take used batteries to a certified battery recycling facility.
You can recycle your batteries at any of the five CYFS stations which have designated Smart Containers for battery drop-off. Containers are in station entries for easy access anytime:
- Station 4-1 - Sam Rippey Fire Station (984 Gorham Street, Newmarket)
- Station 4-2 - John Molyneaux Fire Station (125 McCaffrey Road, Newmarket) *Please ring the bell for drop-off and a staff member will help.
- Station 4-3 (220 Edward Street, Aurora)
- Station 4-4 - Fred Bolsby Fire Station (1344 Wellington Street East, Aurora)
- Station 4-5 - Ian Laing Headquarters (300 Earl Stewart Drive, Aurora)
Accepted Batteries
This program accepts consumer dry cell batteries (5 kg or less each), including:
- Alkaline (AAA, AA, C, D, 9V)
- Lithium primary
- Lithium-ion (Li-ion)
- Nickel metal Hydride (Ni-NH)
- Nickel zinc (Ni-Zn)
- Small sealed lead-acid (SLA) (excluding SK batteries)
Go to RecycleYourBattery.ca for more battery safety tips and to find the closest battery recycling location near you.
Thanksgiving Cooking Safety
As we approach the season of feasts and festivities, CYFS also reminds everyone to keep cooking safety in mind. Locally in Aurora and Newmarket, cooking related calls accounts for nearly half of all fire related incidents responded to.
CYFS reminds cooks to keep these safety tips in mind:
Watch what you heat. Always keep a close eye on what you are cooking. Set a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Never pour water onto a grease fire.
When cooking on the stove, cover the pot or pan with a matching lid and turn off the burner. For fires in an oven, microwave, air fryer, or similar appliance, keep the door closed and turn off the power. If the fire does not go out quickly, evacuate immediately and call 9-1-1.
Have a “kid and pet free zone” of at least 1 metre around the stove or grill and anywhere else hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
If there is a fire in the oven or microwave: close the door, turn the power off, and open doors and windows to ventilate.
Always remember, if you smell smoke or see fire, alert others in the home while evacuating, exit the home, and go to your meeting place. Call 9-1-1 from a safe location.
For more safety tips, visit cyfs.ca. For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and cooking safety, visit fpw.org. For fire safety fun for kids, visit sparky.org.
