The city is calling on citizens to help reduce the number of false alarms Selkirk Fire Department members are called to, thereby reducing wasted resources and the amount of time firefighters are taken away from their families or jobs.
Kristy Hill, the city’s Director of Protective Services, says there has been an increase in the number of false fire alarm calls requiring emergency response and wants to remind citizens to be mindful of unnecessary monitored alarm activations.
“We want people to understand that false alarms come at a cost – not just to taxpayers, but also to our volunteer firefighters, who leave their jobs and families to respond, and to emergency resources that need to be available for real emergencies,” Hill said.
“Volunteer firefighters drop whatever they are doing to respond to calls, and when it’s a false alarm it could mean that they’ve left their kid’s birthday party, or an anniversary, or simply a day at home with family.”
Kristy Hill, Director of Protective Services, City of Selkirk
“Volunteer firefighters drop whatever they are doing to respond to calls, and when it’s a false alarm it could mean that they’ve left their kid’s birthday party, or an anniversary, or simply a day at home with family. We know that citizens appreciate the work of our volunteer department, and I think citizens would agree they don’t want to needlessly take family time away from volunteers, so a little education can go a long way to reduce the number of false alarms.”
Understand how your alarm system works
Fire Chief Corey Gagne says the three lines of defence in preventing an emergency response for firefighters are public education, code enforcement and inspection.
“One of the biggest ways that we can help prevent these false alarms is by educating the public,” Gagne said.
“If people are more responsible with their alarms, it makes it better for everyone. When buying an alarm, ask questions and know what to do in all situations. If you set the alarm off by mistake, the alarm company should call you or another name on your call list to determine whether the call is an emergency or a false alarm. If they don’t, you can call them, and you should do it as fast as possible to prevent an unnecessary fire department response.
“If false alarms happen frequently – like from shower steam or from cooking – ask your alarm company to relocate it to avoid repeated false alarms.
“Companies sometimes put alarms and sensors in the wrong place. If it’s being triggered by your shower or your toaster call the company to have it moved,” Gagne said.
Some common reasons for false alarms are dead batteries or dust on the detector, poorly located alarms, children pulling alarms in stores or apartment buildings, smoking in stairwells of apartments, and renovation or maintenance work creating smoke or dust setting off the alarm..
Gagne added that you should always have more than one person on your alarm call list, and every person on that list should have a key to your house. If a call comes in when no one is home, it’s harder for the firefighters to do their job.
New By-Law includes Penalties for false alarm calls
The city created Alarm By-Law 5382 in 2023 due to the high number of false alarm calls and included penalties under the Administrative Penalties By-Law 5383.
Chief Administrative Officer Duane Nicol says he applauds those who have alarm systems in their homes and businesses and encourages everyone to know the system they have.
“False alarms increase taxes for everybody.”
Duane Nicol, CAO City of Selkirk
“We can’t emphasize enough, we encourage everyone to have an alarm. We encourage alarm usage because it helps make the entire community safer. Fire alarms in homes is a service not just to your family to get out safely but also it increases the speed at which the fire department can respond which then protects neighbouring properties,” Nicol said.
“The Alarm By-Law provides an incentive for people to more responsibly take care of their alarms. We want people to have alarms, we think there’s a benefit to people having alarms, but we need citizens to take responsibility for those alarms and maintain them properly.”
It’s also costly to taxpayers.
“Emergency services are a significant portion of the city’s budget and people are seeing the protective services levy on their bills now, so they’ll see the actual costs for this service broken out of their regular tax bill,” Nicol said.
“False alarms increase taxes for everybody.”
False alarms cost over $190,000 in just three years
From 2022 to 2024, false fire alarms have cost the city just over $190,000. In 2025 the fire department has already responded to 24 false alarms, at a cost to taxpayers of $23,127.
Gagne noted that the Selkirk Fire Department is always going to respond to a call no matter what but having everyone in the home knowing how the alarm works will save the department from an unnecessary call and you from an unnecessary bill.
Steps to responsible alarm ownership:
- Ask questions when choosing and installing an alarm in your home
- Get your alarm serviced regularly
- Know how to use it
- Know who to call if it goes off because of a false alarm
- Have more than one person with a key to your home on the call list
- Answer when your alarm company calls
- Change the batteries in your alarm regularly
- Replace your alarm unit if it is more than 10 years old
Asking alarm owners to take steps towards preventing false alarms
To help ensure that emergency resources are available when truly needed, the city will now use the provisions of the False Alarm By-Law to issue penalties of $500 for a first offence and $1,000 for second and subsequent offences. Up until this point the city and the Selkirk Fire Department have issued verbal warnings only, and while public education has been the focus, enforcement of the penalty system will now be an additional tool to reduce false alarm calls.
“We would love to not have a single fine issued, so we’re hoping that alarm owners take steps to prevent false alarms and we see a dramatic reduction in calls. We are sending letters to property owners who have had false alarm calls in the recent past to make them aware of the full implementation of the By-Law and as a reminder to address any outstanding issues they may have with their alarm,” said Hill.
To view the By-Law and for more information on how to maintain and use your alarm properly, please visit MySelkirk.ca/AlarmUse.
