Fire Prevention & Safety

Big or small, treat all forms of fire with respect.

Knowing what to expect and preparing for a fire before it happens can save your life. So plan ahead. Develop a fire safety plan with your family that includes a review of fire hazards, an escape plan, installing smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, and teaching your children about fire safety. By following these fire safety strategies, you might just save lives.

Smoke Detectors

• Make the whole house safe. Put smoke detectors on every floor and outside of sleeping areas.
• Maintain your equipment. Make sure detectors are dust free. Replace batteries once a year or sooner if the detector makes a chirping sound.
• Testing, testing.... Test your detectors at least once a month.
• Be sure they're working. If your detectors are directly wired into your electrical system, make sure the signal lights are blinking. These lights let you know that the alarm is active.
• Know what's happening. Install smoke alarms that are monitored by an accredited emergency response station that will notify you in case of emergency–wherever you are.
• Fires don't discriminate. Neither does safety. There are detectors available for people with impaired hearing.

Fire Extinguishers

• An extinguisher in the hand is worth two fire-trucks coming. A trusty extinguisher is your best bet against a small fire becoming a big one.
• Cover your bases. Purchase an "ABC" type extinguisher for extinguishing all types of fires.
• Mount them and let people know where they are. Fire extinguishers should be put in the kitchen, bedroom, garage, and workshop.
• Check the pedigree. Your fire extinguishers should display the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or the Underwriters Laboratory of Canada (ULC) label.
• Learn how to use it before you need it! Older children should also be taught how to operate fire extinguishers. Keep fire extinguishers away from young children.
• Use only on small fires. If there is a large fire, get out of the area immediately and call 911 from another location.

Have a Fire Escape Plan and Be Prepared

• Post emergency numbers close to each phone in your home!
• Teach your children well. Make sure they know how to dial 911.
• Make sure you’re ready for anything. Check the batteries in your phone as many phones use a battery to retain memory when power is lost.
• Get everyone on the same wavelength. Make sure all family members know your alarm signal.
• Practice makes perfect. Create a floor plan of your home showing two ways out of each room. There should be a way to get out of each bedroom without opening the door. Have fire drills regularly. Practice your escape at different times of the year. You can download a complimentary escape planner here.
• Privacy can also mean added safety. Sleeping with your bedroom door closed can give you extra time in case of a fire.
• Give yourself a way out. Window escape ladders are available through many stores.
• Location, location.... Agree on a meeting place a safe distance from your home where your family can gather for a head count.
• Clear the way. Make sure stairways, hallways, and all escape routes are free of obstructions and combustibles.

In Case of Fire

• Get out fast. Don't waste time collecting possessions after a fire starts.
• Get out alive. Wake or tell all occupants and leave the building.
• Never open doors without checking for heat. Test them with your hands. If the doors feel warm, fire may be on the other side. If so, leave them closed and find another way out.
• Never go back into a burning building. Stay together away from the fire. Call 911 from another location.
• Stay down, cover your mouth, crawl to safety. If trapped inside a burning building, stay close to the floor and cover your mouth with a cloth to conserve breath.
• Don't give fire a place to go. Keep all doors and windows closed except for escape purposes.