Fire Prevention and Education

Scugog Firefighters regularly go door to door to make sure homes have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. We talk about fire safety and make sure you have a fire escape plan for your home. Participation in the program is voluntary. You can contact Fire Prevention to request a home visit.

Teaching our children about fire safety is one of the most important things we do and the Learn Not to Burn program makes it easy and fun. 

Each year, our Fire Prevention Officer visits with children at all schools in Scugog to discuss fire safety in an age-appropriate format. 

Children are taught to respond effectively when confronted with fire, how to prevent fires from occurring and to know that firefighters are always available to help them. 

We will come to your location and teach your business, group, club or organization about the different classes of fire and how to control them.  

In 2021, Scugog Fire and Emergency Services received a grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada to purchase a digital fire extinguisher training unit. This unit is a tool that is used by our Fire Prevention Officer to teach staff and occupants of various buildings how they can safely inspect and operate a portable fire extinguisher. 

Every year a local student is awarded the opportunity to be Scugog's Junior Fire Chief. The Junior Fire Chief gets to participate in a variety of exciting activities including: 

• getting suited up in bunker gear, 
• going for a ride in a fire truck, 
• conducting a fire drill at their school, 
• completing tasks at the fire station, 
• receiving prizes generously donated by community partners, and, 
• leading the department in the annual Port Perry Santa Claus parade.  

Students are invited to participate in the contest to be the Junior Fire Chief in the fall, and they will hear about it through their local school.

Whenever possible, a fire truck staffed with a crew of firefighters, or our Fire Prevention Division, may be scheduled to attend special community events such as community gatherings, fun fairs, markets, etc. Our staff are excellent information resources and they are always willing to share their knowledge of fire safety, provide handouts, and demonstrate the tools and equipment that they use. 

We can also arrange for a visit from Sparky the Fire Dog, our costumed character mascot.  

The fire safety trailer is set up just like a home. It can be brought to events, schools, etc. or used at our fire stations to teach children about fire safety. 

This opportunity provides children with realistic fire safety training such as: 

• recognizing the sound of a smoke alarm 
• crawling low under smoke 
• learning to “get out and stay out” in the event of a fire 

If your group is having a special event fill out a public education request and we will try to accommodate.

Our staff are happy to provide tours of Scugog Fire Station 61 located in Port Perry, On a station tour you will be able to: 

• meet our firefighters, 
• learn about home safety, 
• get a close-up look at our equipment and trucks, 
• find out how we keep the community safe.

We offer free presentations for hospital and long-term care staff. Presentation topics for this program include: 

• Emergency procedures to follow when there's a fire 
• What to do if you find a fire 
• Workplace fire alarm systems 
• Responsibilities of staff when there's an emergency 
• Evacuation techniques and procedures 
• When and how to use a fire extinguisher 
• How to spot and get rid of fire and life safety hazards in your workplace 

Fire extinguisher training is also included.  

There are free fire safety presentations available for residents living in multi-residential buildings. You must have a group of 10 or more people to book a presentation. Safety topics include: 

• Importance of escape planning 
• What to do if you find a fire 
• What to do when you hear a fire alarm in your building
• When and how to use a fire extinguisher 
• What to do if you see smoke in the hallway or stairwell 
• Deciding to go or stay 
• How to protect yourself when you decide to stay in your apartment 
• Importance of working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms 
• How to prevent fire hazards in your apartment 

Our senior safety presentations include: 

• Preventing the leading causes of home fires
• Smoke alarm requirements 
• Carbon monoxide alarm requirements 
• Home fire escaping / Planning around your needs 
• Fall prevention 
• Fire extinguisher training can be provided upon request 

Our Fire Prevention Officer enforces the Ontario Fire Code. It is the responsibility of the homeowner, business owner, building owner, etc. to ensure that a building is in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code at all times. When a violation of the Ontario Fire Code is observed by the Fire Department, the owner may be charged. 

Violations include items such as poor maintenance of fire safety equipment, blocked exits, breaches in fire separations, damaged or broken fire doors and hardware, severe electrical problems, improperly used or stored flammable liquids or gases, unsafe accumulation of combustible materials, failure to implement a fire safety plan, etc. 

You can request a general fire safety inspection (fees may apply), or if you have a Fire Code concern, you can request a complaint inspection (all personal information will remain confidential).

Fire prevention staff complete regular inspections in buildings that are considered high risk. The Ontario Fire Code requires routine annual inspections of Vulnerable Occupancies including: 

• nursing homes 
• retirement homes 
• group homes 
• hospitals 

In addition, the Fire Prevention Officer is required to witness an annual fire drill in these occupancies.

Inspections are also completed to meet licensing requirements for: 

• daycares 
• liquor licensing 
• foster care 
• Propane Risk and Safety Management Plans 
• refreshment vehicles 

File search requests and fire inspections related to real estate transactions are available upon request. Written authorization from the current owner is required in order to disclose information and fees apply for this service. For more information, contact Fire Prevention.

The Fire Protection and Prevention Act allows an Assistant to the Fire Marshal to enter a premise at all reasonable times without advance warning or an appointment. Landlords are permitted to enter tenant suites/space with 24 hours' notice to assess fire safety concerns. In emergency situations, the 24-hour notice requirement is not applicable.

Fire Safety Plans are required, under the Ontario Fire Code, based on building use or occupancy types. Under the Ontario Fire Code (section 2.8.1.) 

• Assembly occupancy or care or detention occupancy, 
• Residential occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 10, 
• Business and personal services occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300, 
• Mercantile occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300, 
• High hazard industrial occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 25, 
• Medium hazard industrial occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 100, 
• Low hazard industrial occupancy where the occupant load exceeds 300 
• Buildings containing 4 storeys or more, including storeys below grade 

Provisions are not limited to above requirements. For a complete list, refer to the Ontario Fire Code Section 2.8. 

Failure to have a Fire Safety Plan for buildings which fit the above descriptions can result in being in violation with the Ontario Fire Code. 

If you require an approved Fire Safety Plan, you must submit it to our Fire Prevention Officer for review.