Langford Fire Rescue was the latest West Shore department to receive a new truck in recent weeks.

While we recommend you take a peek at the impressive new engine, we donB次元官网网址檛 recommend you wait to see it in action.

In the spirit of national fire prevention week, a theme that was touched on at the Langford departmentB次元官网网址檚 open house at the beginning of the month, now is the time of year to look around your home to reassess any potential dangers and check lifesaving equipment.

According to Fire Prevention Canada, fire kills eight people on average each week in Canada, with residential fires accounting for nearly 75 per cent of those fatalities. While we donB次元官网网址檛 see anywhere near those numbers on the West Shore, itB次元官网网址檚 still a sobering wake up call.

A fire can start in a matter of seconds. Having working smoke detectors, CO alarms, fire extinguishers and a safe exit plan for every room in your home could one day save your family from potential disaster.

While many of us like to think that we would wake up in the event of a fire, the sad fact is that many do not. Having a working smoke detector on all levels of your home and outside of bedrooms could save your life one day. It could also give you more time to get out of a burning building, a situation where every second counts.

Now is the perfect time of year to check the batteries and expiration dates on smoke detectors, and making sure extinguishers are in working order and located in a spot that is easily accessible in case disaster does strike. Now is also an ideal time of year to get those chimneys checked before stoking a fire to curl up in front of.

But most importantly, now is a great time to talk to younger members of your family about how to prevent fires from starting in the home and what to do in case one does start.

Our local firefighters work hard every day to make sure West Shore residents are protected. The least we can do is give them a hand in making sure we are safe.