Fire Prevention and Public Safety

Smoke alarms

Install smoke alarms on every storey of your home including the basement and outside of all sleeping areas.

Install smoke alarms where you will be able to hear the alarm even when doors are closed.

Only working smoke alarms give you the early warning you need to safely escape a fire.

Test smoke alarms monthly by pushing the test button and change the batteries at least once a year.

Develop and practice a home fire escape plan.

Source: Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management

Carbon monoxide alarms

Install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in your home and outside of all sleeping areas.

Ensure all fuel-burning appliances and vents in your home are inspected annually.

Symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu without the fever.

CO poisoning is often referred to as The Silent Killer. No colour. No odour. No taste.

Examples of fuel-burning appliances that produce CO:

• water heater
• stove
• furnace
• dryer
• fireplace
• boilers
• space heaters
• portable fuel heater
• portable fuel fired generator

Source: Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management

If you CO alarms is going off continuously, call 9-1-1 and leave your home. Do not open windows or ventilate your home. We will respond and test the levels of CO in your home.

Cooking

Always stay in the kitchen while cooking. If you must leave, turn off the stove.

Keep anything that burns such as utensils, dishcloths, paper towels and potholders, a safe distance away from the stove.

Loose-fitting clothes can come into contact with stove burners and catch fire. Wear tight sleeves or roll up sleeves when cooking.

Source: Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management

Barbeque

Use barbeques (BBQ) outdoors only.

Never leave BBQ unattended while in use.

Make sure grease does not build up on the burners or the base of the BBQ.

Never throw water on a grease fire. This will only spread the flames.

Do not place BBQ close to wooden fences or walls, vinyl siding, or anything that can burn.

If the burner does not light right away, turn the gas off and wait 5 minutes with the cover open, before relighting.

Keep loose clothing away from the hot BBQ.

Keep children and pets away from the hot BBQ.

When you are finished barbequing, turn the gas valve off first then the burner controls so no gas is left in the connecting hose.

Allow the BBQ to completely cool before closing the cover.

Three Step Safety Check:

1. Clean burner ports with a wire brush or pipe cleaner so it is free of rust, dirt, spider webs, and other debris.
2. Check the hose leading from the tank to the burners. Replace if cracked or damaged.
3. Test leaks by applying a 50/50 solution of water and dish soap to the propane cylinder connections and hoses. If bubbles appear, tighten the connection or replace the damaged parts and retest.

Source: Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management

Home fire escape plan

You need to know how to react in a fire before it happens.

The Fire Department may not arrive quickly enough to save you.

Test your smoke alarms. Smoke alarms must be installed on every storey and outside of all sleeping areas.

Sit down with everyone in your home to discuss how each person will get out in a fire.

Practice your escape plan with everyone home.

Know 2 ways out of each room, if possible. Make sure all doors and window leading outside open easily.

Help those who need it. Determine who will be responsible for helping young children, older adults, people with disabilities, or anyone else who may need assistance.

Have a meeting place outside, a safe distance from your home. In the case of a fire, everyone should go directly to this meeting place to be accounted for.

Close all doors behind you.

Get out and stay out. When smoke alarms sound, get out immediately and call 9-1-1 outside from a cell phone or from your neighbour's home. Never re-enter a burning building.

Practice your home fire escape plan so everyone knows what to do. This will help everyone to escape a fire as quickly as possible.

Source: Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management

Cottage fire safety

Install smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. It's the law for all Ontario homes, cottages, cabins and seasonal homes to have working smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas.

Test smoke alarms at least monthly or each time you return to the cottage. Pack a new smoke alarm and extra smoke alarm batteries in case they need replacement.

Install and ensure carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in your cottage if it has a fuel-burning appliance.

Develop and practice a home fire escape plan to ensure everyone knows what to do if the smoke alarm sounds.

Know the telephone number for the local fire department and your cottage's emergency sign number, in case of emergency.

Clean barbecues before using them. Keep an eye on lit barbecues and ensure all combustibles, as well as children and pets are kept well away from them. Fires can happen when barbecues are left unattended.

Keep barbecue lighters and matches out of sight and reach of children.

Remember to bring a flashlight with extra batteries.

Check heating appliances and chimneys before using them.

Check with your local fire department, municipality, or Ministry of Natural Resources to determine whether open air burning is permitted before having a campfire or burning brush. If open burning is allowed, fires should be built on bare soil or on exposed rock. Remove leaves and twigs from around the fire to keep it from spreading. Always keep a bucket of water, sand, or even a shovel close by and supervise the fire at all times.

If you must smoke, do so outside. Keep a large can with water nearby so cigarette butts can be safely discarded. If you drink, do so responsibly. Tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption are contributing factors in many fires and can lead to serious injuries.

Burn candles in sturdy candleholders that will not tip and are covered with a glass shade. When you go out, blow out!

Source: Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management