You may have heard sirens ring in the Energy City on Wednesday evening, as the Estevan Fire Department received a couple of calls for service.

"At 6:30 PM, crews were called to a residential fire alarm in the northwestern portion of the city. Once they arrived on scene, they found that it was due to a cooking related issue," related Fire Chief Dale Feser.

"There wasn't enough smoke remaining in the structure itself to warrant any ventilation, so crews were released from scene and returned to the hall."

However, it wasn't longer before they were pulling their gear on again.

"Later on that night, right around 9:00 PM, we received a service call for a carbon monoxide alarm that was going off in the north central portion of the city. When crews arrived on scene and completed an assessment and evaluation with atmospheric testing equipment, they found the cause to be a faulty detection device. The information was passed on to the homeowner and then we were released from the scene."

In light of the incidents, Feser had a few tips to assist in preventing such occasions from reoccurring. He pointed out that the temperatures are beginning to cool down, and people are starting to fire up their heating devices and appliances, such as furnaces and boilers.

"You want to make sure that you are checking your carbon monoxide detection equipment. The same criteria applies to these as it does to smoke alarms. If it's ten years of age, it's definitely time for a new device."

"When you are looking at installing these particular types of devices, we always go with the manufacturer's recommendations. However, CO has almost the same specific gravity as air, so it will readily interchange and intermingle with air in your home. That's why you see a lot of dual detection devices. It doesn't really make a difference where you mount these, as long as they are mounted in areas you will be alert to."

He recommended that the best place for that is in hallways leading to bedrooms and in furnace rooms, for early detection.