Sep 24th, 2026

Fire safety, food and fun at Russell Heights 

Learning about fire safety can be fun! 

Tenants, OCH staff and Ottawa Fire Services came together at Russell Heights for the annual Fire Life Safety BBQ during OCH Fire Prevention Week. 

Tenants learned simple ways to prevent fires at home. They could also ask questions and talk with fire safety experts. 

There were hot dogs, games and activities for the whole family. Sparky even stopped by! 🚒🐶 

Learning about fire safety together 

Tenants could talk with OCH staff and Ottawa Fire Services about how to keep their homes and families safe. 

There were activities and fire safety information for adults and children. 

Teams also visited homes in the community to check the condition of smoke alarms and talk with tenants about fire safety. 

Small actions can make a big difference 

This year, Fire Prevention Week focused on battery safety. 

A few simple habits can help reduce the risk of a battery fire: 

• Use the charger that came with your device or one approved by the manufacturer.  
• Do not leave batteries charging overnight or unattended.  
• Charge devices on a hard, flat surface.  
• Keep batteries and charging devices away from doors, hallways and exits.  
• Stop using a battery if it becomes very hot, swells, leaks, smells strange, smokes or makes unusual sounds.  

These small steps can keep you and your home safer.  

Thank you to Ottawa Fire Services, the Russell Heights Community House, our staff and everyone who helped make the BBQ such a great community event! 

And a big thank you to all the tenants who joined us! 

Keep learning about fire safety

You do not have to wait until Fire Prevention Week to learn more. Visit the OCH Fire Life Safety page for information about smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, common fire risks, escape planning, tenant insurance and more.