The Cobourg Fire Department is proud to announce the premiere of a new, hard-hitting Public Service Announcement (PSA) titled “In A Minute.”
The PSA released on October 8, 2025, during Fire Prevention Week in Ontario.
This PSA was created in response to alarming statistics and a call to action from the Ontario Fire Marshal. Every year, more than 100 people in Ontario lose their lives to fire. Many of these tragedies occur in homes without working smoke alarms or without a practiced home escape plan. Earlier this year, the Fire Marshal urged all communities to take stronger steps to ensure that families have working smoke alarms on every level of their homes and a well-rehearsed escape plan.
“Clearly, what we have been doing isn’t working,” said Chief Ellard Beaven. “With everyone living busy lives, it’s easy to forget about fire safety and put off important tasks like testing smoke alarms, replacing batteries, or practicing an escape plan with your family. That’s why we created In A Minute — to break through the noise and remind people that fire moves fast. You may only have one minute to escape. Without working smoke alarms, you may not even be alerted to the danger.”
The “In A Minute” PSA dramatizes the devastating speed at which fire can grow and reinforces a life-saving message: every second counts. The Cobourg Fire Department hopes the PSA will not only spark awareness but inspire immediate action — testing smoke alarms, replacing expired units, and talking with loved ones about how to get out safely.
The PSA incorporates critical fire safety messages: the need for early warning through working smoke alarms, the importance of creating and practicing a home escape plan, and the dangers of charging devices in beds and other soft furnishings. The Cobourg Fire Department has “taken off the gloves,” so to speak — with fire deaths continuing to rise, the department wanted to stop sugar-coating messages and instead show the devastating speed of fire and how, without the warning of a smoke alarm, you have very
little time to escape.
The PSA was filmed in such a way that it can be used in other communities. The Cobourg Fire Department hopes this powerful message will spread well beyond Cobourg, driving home the urgency that traditional campaigns have struggled to convey.
By presenting the stark reality of how quickly fire grows, the PSA reinforces that every second counts, and that prevention, preparation, and safe practices truly save lives.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
