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March 13, 2025

Waterloo’s new fire safety box bylaw comes into effect soon

Owners of apartments and other buildings are required to have a fire safety box and arrive on the scene within 45 minutes of an alarm starting March 23, 2025.

A fire safety box should have the contact information for the owner, or a designated contact person, along with the building’s schematics or drawings. Access to this information will help firefighters quickly assess the situation and navigate the building.

The new bylaw also requires building owners, or a designated contact person, to arrive within 45 minutes of an alarm to reset the system and support residents as needed. Timely responses to alarms help to ensure they’re working properly and free up crews to respond to other emergencies.

“These changes will help improve emergency response times while keeping both firefighters and residents safe,” said Sandy van Solm, Deputy Fire Chief. “It’s one of the ways we’re advancing public safety to meet the needs of our growing and changing city.”

The fire safety box bylaw will come into effect on March 23, 2025. After that date, failure to provide a fire safety box or arrive at the scene of the fire within 45 minutes, may result in a fine of up to $5,000. Learn more about fire safety boxes on our Public Education webpage.

Public education Waterloo Fire Rescue’s Fire Prevention Division provides fire safety and prevention services and education for homes, offices and schools. Each year we visit 4,500 homes to educate residents on fire safety.

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