Firefighters want Londoners to take a minute to test their smoke detectors today

Have you checked to make sure your smoke detectors are working lately?

The London Fire Department is calling on everyone to take a minute to be "Saved by the Beep." The annual provincial campaign is asking everyone to take the potentially life-saving action to test their detectors on September 28.

"Being prepared to act in the event of a fire can start with simply pressing the test button and having the confidence that a working smoke alarm is in your home," said Deputy Fire Chief Matt Hepditch in a statement.

"Lives will be saved by regularly testing smoke alarms at least once a month, refreshing batteries at least once a year, and replacing smoke alarms older than 10 years."

According to the London Fire Department, 133 people died in fires across Ontario last year, the highest number of fatalities in more than two decades. Many of those fires were found to have no working smoke alarms in the residence.

"In Ontario, we've seen a significant rise in fatal fires and the number of people we have lost in these fires is very concerning," said Ontario Fire Marshal Jon Pegg in a statement.

"Entire families have been lost to fire and the most troubling part is that the majority of these fires did not have a working smoke alarm in the home. Had there been working smoke alarms, and a well thought out and practiced home fire escape plan, these deaths may have been prevented."

Smoke alarms are required to be installed on every floor of a residence in Ontario, including homes, condominiums, apartments, cottages, and trailers.

For more information, visit the Saved by the Beep campaign's website.