Smoke alarms

If you don’t have a smoke alarm, you may be eligible to get one installed for free through the Smoke Alarm For Every (SAFE) Family program. 

Every home should have a working smoke alarm. Fires are more likely to go unnoticed when you are asleep. This puts you at risk for injury, death, or damage to your property.  A working smoke alarm can alert you to smoke or fire in your home and give you the time you need to escape.  

You should have at least one working smoke alarm installed high up between bedrooms and living area. You should have a working smoke alarm outside every sleeping area and on every floor of your home. 

If you rent your home, it is your landlord’s responsibility to install and maintain working smoke alarms in your home.  If your unit does not have a working smoke alarm, contact 311 immediately. 

You should test your smoke alarms every month. If your alarm uses batteries, change them once a year. If your alarm uses lithium-ion batteries, they can usually last 10 years, which is the lifespan of a smoke alarm. Check the manufacturer’s instructions before you install your alarm or replace the batteries.  

You may also consider adding a carbon monoxide alarm to your home. Carbon monoxide has no taste, smell, or colour so the only way to know you are exposed is to have a working alarm.  

Some alarms can detect both smoke and carbon monoxide. 

Many smoke alarms you can buy do not have ULC or CSA labels, which means they may not have undergone testing to ensure they meet ULC standards. Avoid using smoke alarms that do not have a ULC or CSA label.  

Accessibility smoke alarms can alert people with hearing or visual impairments, using features like bright strobe lights, powerful vibrations (bed shakers), or voice alerts. 

Smoke Alarm For Every (SAFE) Family 

A working smoke alarm is a basic, fundamental requirement for home fire safety. We are most vulnerable to fire when we sleep. A working smoke alarm warns you early about a fire or smoke in your home.

Complete the online form or contact 311 to sign up for your free battery-operated smoke alarm, installed by WFPS crews. If you own your home and cannot install a smoke alarm, you may be eligible to have one installed for free.

Winnipeg Fire Department members will install the smoke alarms on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and noon, or between 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Applicants will be contacted in advance to book an appointment. Homeowners must sign a liability waiver immediately prior to installation to receive this service.

This installation program is for battery operated smoke alarms only, it does not apply to wired smoke alarms.

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