London Fire Department launches door-to-door smoke alarm campaign as detector technology evolves

The London Fire Department (LFD) is taking a door-to-door approach to fire safety this summer, launching a new campaign aimed at making sure every home has a working smoke alarm.

While the importance of detectors remains the same, the devices themselves are undergoing a technological transformation, from the "dumb" alarms of the past to smart, connected systems that can give homeowners more information than ever before.

Beginning Wednesday, crews will fan out across the city between 6 and 8 p.m. on weeknights as part of the Sound the Alarm: Stay Safe, London campaign. For six weeks, firefighters will be knocking on doors to check if residents have working smoke alarms and to educate them about requirements under Ontario's Fire Code.

Matt Hepditch, Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention and Public Education for LFD, said the push comes after concerning numbers last year.

"In 2024, we saw that 21 per cent of residential fires occurred in homes without working smoke alarms," he said. "That's one in five structure fires, or about 50 out of 235 incidents."

Hepditch said the lack of working alarms is sometimes not negligence but a misunderstanding. Residents may disable alarms because of frequent nuisance triggers from cooking or shower steam, or they may not realize monthly testing is required. Others simply don't know that alarms have an expiry date.

The department stresses education over punishment as firefighters will explain the law, help test alarms and direct tenants to landlords if replacements are needed. "At the end of the day, we don't want to prosecute," Hepditch said. "We want to make sure people are safe."

He points to recent incidents where working alarms woke residents in time to escape. "Most of the time, when alarms are present and functional, people get out. But to be certain, every home needs working smoke alarms on every floor."

While London firefighters are reminding residents to keep the basics covered, the devices themselves have been changing rapidly in recent years.

According to technology journalist and analyst Carmi Levy, smoke detectors are following the same path as thermostats, doorbells and light bulbs: getting "smart."

"They've gone from being conventional, dumb devices that you just pop a battery into, to smart safety devices that do a lot more," Levy said. "They network with other sensors in the house, talk to your phone, and tell you precisely where an emergency is happening."

Today's smart detectors can alert homeowners even when they're not at home. They can send push notifications, report battery levels before they fail, and remind users when the unit itself is nearing the end of its lifespan.

"In the past, you didn't find out a detector had aged out until it failed," Levy said. "Now, it will tell you if you're coming up on five years, it's time to replace it. It's a much more intelligent way of managing a device that can literally save your life."

When it comes to adding a smart detector to your home, Levy said adoption is still limited. A weekend trip to the hardware store showed him that about half of the models on shelves were now smart, but most homes still use older alarms. Cost is one reason, as smart units are pricier, and complexity is another.

"These are computers with connectivity built in," Levy said. "That means they're harder to troubleshoot. If you're not tech-savvy, it could be overwhelming. If you already wrestle with your Wi-Fi or your phone, you may want to keep it simple."

False alarms, software updates and internet outages can complicate things further. Levy cautions homeowners to choose technology that matches their comfort level.

"Don't hand over this critical safety function to a device you don't fully understand how to manage."

Looking ahead, he expects artificial intelligence to play a role. Smarter sensors could better distinguish between a real threat and harmless smoke, and offer clearer guidance in an emergency. But ease of use and reliability remain hurdles.

"For us to trust them as much as we've trusted traditional alarms, they need to be more robust and simpler to install," Levy said.

Whether residents choose traditional or smart alarms, Hepditch said the priority is simple: every floor in every home, and check them every month.

"The simplest step people can take today is to make sure they have working alarms and test them regularly," he said.