Page 18 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 123

18 Issue #123 April 2023 www.sportsenergynews.com

Cornwall Fire Services

with Deputy Chief Leighton Woods

Time for the Great Spring Cleaning

Now that spring is upon us, you might start hearing some familiar chirps — from your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that is!
April is the perfect month for you to check your alarms to make sure that they work. You’d be surprised to know how many people
don’t do this very simple but important action.
Ideally, you should be testing your alarms every month, even if it’s hard-wired. So how can you test them? It’s easy really, all you
have to do is roll up your sleeves and… press the button on the alarm. If you hear it go off, you know it’s working. If it doesn’t then
it’s time to change the batteries or get a new one.
If your alarm doesn’t have a button, then it is outdated and should be replaced immediately. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms also happen to have
an expiry date.
It’s recommended that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms be replaced every ten years. That being said, some models last as little as five years.
Once you’re done testing your alarms, you can finally start tackling that clutter that has been accumulating in your house over the winter. It’s important
that you keep your house clear of any objects that could become obstacles during an emergency. No one wants to have to jump over piles of clothes,
buckets of children’s toys, and boxes full of books in order to get out of a fire.
Not only that, if you happen to be stuck inside a room during a fire, clutter can make your rescue that much harder — and dangerous — for first responders.
An abundance of clutter can also become a fire hazard in itself. Being that it’s still relatively cold, you should always make sure that material is kept clear
of any heat source such as space heaters or baseboard heaters.
The same can be said about a furnace. Be sure to not leave any boxes or items around your furnace. A good rule of thumb is to keep a six-foot radius free
of anything around your furnace.
You should also clean or replace your furnace filter. While you’re at it, why not also make sure that your dryer vent is clean and there are no obstructions
in the pipe leading outside. Happy cleaning!

Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services

By Wayne Markell

With a Bicycle Comes Great Responsibility

With spring right around the corner, now might be the time to dust off that bicycle. Before you head on out to peddle, you should
always remember to be safe. That starts with — you guessed it — wearing a helmet.
Doing so can greatly reduce the risk of injury or death if you fall or collide with a car, pedestrian, or other cyclists. But don’t just wear any old
helmet, make sure it’s one that fits properly, is worn correctly, and has been manufactured to meet strict safety standards.
Although I highly recommend that you wear a helmet when riding your bicycle, you aren’t legally required to do so if you are 18 years of age or older.
That being said, cyclists that are under that age must wear an approved helmet. For children aged 16 and under, a parent or guardian must make sure
t he y wear a helmet.
Children are also required to wear an approved bicycle helmet when riding in a child carrier or a bicycle trailer.
Here is other equipment that you are required to have on your bicycle; a bell or horn, a white light mounted on the front of your bicycle, a red light or reflector on the back,
as well as white reflective tape on the front fork and red reflective tape on the rear fork.
While you’re at it, you should also give your bicycle a safety check. Are your wheels inflated at the recommended pressure? Make sure that there aren’t any broken or bent
spokes and that your bicycle’s chain is installed correctly.
Squeeze your brakes to ensure levers stop at least 2.5 centimeters from the handlebars when fully applied. Check your front and rear brake pads to ensure that they are hitting
only the rim and not the tire.
Having a good helmet, proper safety equipment and a safe bicycle is only half the battle though. Under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, a bicycle is considered to be a vehicle,
just like a car or a truck.
That means that you must obey all traffic laws — that’s right, you can’t just peddle through a red light. Not following the same responsibilities as other drivers can spell
disaster.
Ride in a straight line on the right-hand side of the road at least one metre from the curb or from parked cars, where practical.
When being passed, stay as close to the right side of the road as you can. You are allowed to use any part of the lane for safety reasons, such as avoiding obstacles in your lane.
You do not need to stay to the right when preparing to turn left, passing another vehicle, you are going faster than other vehicles, or the lane is too narrow to share.
Safe biking!