By Kaitlyn Clark
The Haldimand Press
On September 28, 2022 the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall made #CauseForAlarm go viral on Twitter with a new video of a fictitious 911 call.
The video opens with the voice of a 911 operator answering a call and requesting the location of the emergency. A young child responds, answering various questions and informing the operator that she and her mother are trapped in the basement as a fire can be heard growing louder in the background. The video was released with a trigger warning, noting that it could be distressing to those dealing with trauma, as the child cries and pleads with the 911 operator to send help.
The operator assures the girl help is on the way, and then the video prompts the viewer: “Did you notice what you didn’t hear?” The viewer ponders this question as they listen to sounds of fire and the home breaking apart, and are then told, “There were no working smoke alarms. They did not survive. Smoke alarms save lives.”
Haldimand Fire & EMS shared the video, stating, “This chilling audio reveals the mere seconds you have in the event of a fire. That missing sound could be the difference between life and death.”
They were just one of many fire departments across Ontario who joined in to spread this message ahead of the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week, running October 9-15 this year.
A Perth fire department shared the video with the comment, “There is nothing worse than showing up to a house fire and everything is silent. Without a working, in-date smoke alarm your family stands very little chance of survival in a house fire. Give your family a fighting chance. They are worth it.”
Later that day, the Office of the Fire Marshall reposted the video again, stating, “Thank you for helping get #CauseForAlarm trending in Ontario! We know this call can be hard to listen to. Although it is fictitious, the message is very real. Ensure you have working smoke alarms on every storey of your home. Test your #smokealarms today.”
Along with smoke alarms, Rodger Hill, Deputy Fire Chief for Haldimand, reminds residents of the importance of carbon monoxide (CO) alarms as well. Like fire alarms, CO alarms will alert residents when dangerous levels of CO are present. CO can be produced by any fuel-burning device and is colourless, odourless, and potentially fatal – meaning these alarms can be the difference between life and death as well.
To view the #CauseForAlarm video, visit twitter.com/ONFireMarshal.
