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Town of Perth Fire Chief Trevor Choffe and Assistant Fire Chief Andy Moore take their dad jokes to a new level with the launch of their ‘Hey, Andy!’ campaign, a series of social media videos that use humour with a twist. The campaign’s goal relays the message that fire safety is no joke. 

The ‘Hey, Andy!’ campaign idea arose after Perth Fire Services completed a smoke alarm blitz last May with disappointing results: 23 per cent of the checked fire alarms were either not working or expired. 

“When we reviewed these numbers, we knew we had to do something that really captured people’s attention,” says Chief Choffe. “I love telling jokes and Andy loves to roll his eyes at them – so we took that personalized approach and incorporated it with a message about fire safety.” 

With fire-related deaths in Ontario increasing by 84 per cent between 2019 and 2022, the urgency of this message has never been greater. Beyond safety issues, there are also financial implications for those that do not have functioning fire alarms: failure to comply with the Ontario Fire Code smoke alarm requirements can result a $360 ticket for each missing or expired alarm, or fines of up to $50,000 for individuals or $100,000 for corporations.

The social media campaign launches Tuesday, Sept. 17 and runs until the province-wide Test Your Smoke Alarm Day on September 28, 2024, an initiative that encourages residents to take a few moments to test their alarms and make sure they are in working condition. Perth Fire Services urges all residents to make fire safety a priority in their homes. 

“Testing your smoke alarms is simple, but it saves lives,” says Chief Choffe. “We urge everyone in Perth to join us on September 28 and ensure their alarms are ready to protect them.” 

For more information on fire safety – and to see the videos – visit Perth.ca/NoJoke.