October 7th - October 13th is
Fire Prevention Week.
This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme focuses on three fundamental actions people can take to be fire-safe:
LOOK for potential fire hazards around your home. Take action to prevent fire from starting: Always stay in the kitchen while cooking. If you must leave, turn off the stove. Encourage smokers to smoke outside. Always extinguish cigarettes in large, deep ashtrays that cannot be knocked over. Check electrical cords for damage such as fraying or nicks. A damaged cord can expose wires and result in a potential shock or fire hazard.
LISTEN for the smoke alarms in an emergency. Make sure everyone knows the sound of the smoke alarms and can hear them in an emergency. Early detection of fire provided by smoke alarms gives you the extra seconds you need to get out safely.
LEARN two ways out of every room. Practice a home fire escape plan with everyone in your home before a fire starts so you and your family can get out quickly.
Everyone has the responsibility to keep their families and homes safe from fire and carbon monoxide. The best ways to do this are to prevent fires from starting;
- Maintain working smoke alarms on every storey of your home and outside all sleeping areas to have as much time to safely escape as possible if a fire does occur. Not only do smoke alarms save lives, but they are also required by law.
- Plan and practice a home fire escape plan so everyone in the home knows exactly what to do should the smoke alarms sound in an emergency.
- Have fuel-burning appliance serviced annually by certified service technicians.
- Install and maintain working carbon monoxide alarms adjacent to each sleeping area.
- Consider installing residential sprinklers when building a new home or doing extensive renovations.
Take time this week to review your home's fire safety readiness and family exit plan.