Fire Prevention Week 2014 Campaign Kit

Transcription

1 Fire Prevention Week 2014 Campaign Kit Ready-to-Use Articles and Statistics Presented by

2 Table of Contents The contents of this kit are free for you to use and/or adapt Message from the Fire Commissioner... 3 Fire Prevention Week... 4 Smoke Alarms Your best tool for surviving a fire... 5 What do you know?... 6 Stop the nuisance... 9 Smoke alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing Keep your cool when the alarm sounds Plan an escape for everyone Sleeping like a baby Smoke alarm safety sheet Send a Fire Prevention Week ecard Fire Prevention Cooking up safety Warm up to fire safety Be Halloween safe Curious child sets fire to bedroom closet Fire starts when attention stops Elderly couple rudely awakened by arson fire Other sources of information Visit a unique Alberta made interactive website, where you can learn fire prevention. Fire prevention and safety tips Safety tips are available at: Click the Public Access to the online kit Visit choose the Public Education tab and then select the Safety Campaigns link. For more information on Fire Prevention Week, contact the Fire Commissioner's Office at or firecomm@gov.ab.ca. 2

3 Message from the Fire Commissioner What goes through your head when you think about firefighters? Most people think of brave men and women rushing into a burning building while scared people run away. Or they imagine someone lifting a terrified person out of a window and carrying them to safety down a tall ladder. While those images are compelling and real, they miss an important tradition of our fire services. Firefighters have a proud history of helping citizens prevent fires in the first place. With Fire Prevention Week 2014 upon us, we can celebrate the important work our fire service and all Albertans do in keeping Alberta safe from fires. This year s theme is Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives Test Yours Every Month. By taking steps to prevent fires and be prepared in case a fire occurs, we are protecting our loved ones and giving them the confidence to know what to do in an emergency situation. Research on home fires show that in as little as three minutes, a fire can become deadly to the occupants due to toxic smoke from burning synthetic materials present in drapes, carpeting and furniture. A well-trained and well-equipped urban fire service will reach a burning home in seven minutes or more after a call is received. This is too late to save occupants who may already be overcome by toxic smoke. It is everyone s responsibility to prevent fires in the home and ensure their own safe evacuation. Fire Prevention Week reminds all Albertans about the tragedies and loss fires can cause. More importantly, it reminds Albertans about the ways they can prevent fires and protect themselves and their families. I encourage everyone to visit our interactive website at where you can learn more about home fire safety. Let s make Alberta a fire safe province! Yours in fire safety, Original signed by Trent R. West Executive Director and Fire Commissioner Office of the Fire Commissioner Municipal Affairs 3

4 Fire Prevention Week A proud history in Alberta and beyond Fire Prevention Week, just like the fire service itself, has a long and proud history. This special week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire. The tragic 1871 conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. Every year, fire and life safety educators across Canada bring important safety messages during Fire Prevention Week to their communities to help prevent fires, deaths, injuries and property damage. The Office of the Fire Commissioner, in partnership with emergency services across the province, recognizes Fire Prevention Week as an important awareness campaign that teaches Albertans about fire prevention and safety. During the ten-year period between 2003 and 2012, the annual number of fires reported to the Fire Commissioner averaged 5,283. These fires resulted in more than $3.1 billion in property losses in total. There were an average 27 deaths per year and 235 injuries. Most fire injuries occurred in residential properties (79 per cent) including one- and two-family dwellings and apartments. It is clear that most fire deaths and injuries happen in places where Albertans feel the safest - their homes. The major causes of home fires in Alberta and elsewhere are cooking, smoking, electrical and arson/vandalism. These and other statistics tell us how fires start and help us monitor trends over time. We can learn from fires that have happened in the past and try to prevent similar fires from happening in the future. In Alberta, Fire Prevention Week is supported by the Office of the Fire Commissioner and local fire and emergency services. Visit: for more information. 4

5 Your best tool for surviving a fire Smoke alarms save lives, when they work The sound of a smoke alarm can mean the difference between life and death in a fire. Research shows that working smoke alarms cut the chances of dying in a fire nearly in half. Alarmingly, many smoke alarms in Alberta homes do not work properly due to one simple fact: they are not powered properly. Our house fire investigations show that many homes have smoke alarms but they don t activate because of missing, disconnected or dead batteries, says Brian Cornforth, Fire Chief with the City of Lethbridge and President of the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association. In fact, lack of a power source is the main reason why smoke alarms don t work properly. Research from the Office of the Fire Commissioner for Alberta points to other common problems with smoke alarms including not having enough alarms, having alarms that are too old, or having alarms that are not working. Some homes are without smoke alarms altogether. A working smoke alarm will beep when smoke is present or when the test button is pressed, has a power source (battery or household electric circuit), is not plugged by dust, cob-webs or paint. Fire services recommend installing working smoke alarms in every home, on every level including the basement, outside each sleeping area and in each bedroom. Many Albertans are not aware that smoke alarms need to be replaced every ten years, says Cornforth. But they do wear out over time. Experts agree that interconnected smoke alarms offer the best protection. With these systems, when one alarm sounds, they all sound, helping to make a family s response quicker. There are also wireless interconnected smoke alarms on the market and these are easy for some homeowners to install. In order to keep smoke alarms in good working order, they require some basic maintenance. All smoke alarms should be tested monthly and everyone in the home should know how they sound. Batteries in battery-operated alarms should be replaced with ten-year lithium batteries that don t require annual replacement. If your alarms chirps, it is warning you that the battery level is low, Cornforth cautions. Replace the battery right away. 5

6 What do you know? Test your knowledge of smoke alarms Think you know all there is to know about smoke alarms? Challenge yourself by taking this quiz! Choose the right answer from the choices below. 1. I should replace my smoke alarm every years. a) 2 years b) 5 years c) 10 years d) Never. Smoke alarms have no expiration date. 2. A smoke alarm connected to household current is better than a battery-operated smoke alarm. a) True b) False 3. Which type of smoke alarm is best? a) Ionization smoke alarms b) Photo-electric smoke alarms c) Neither. They are both good. 4. Finish the sentence. I don t need a smoke alarm because: a) I would smell the smoke before the alarm could go off b) I would hear the fire crackling c) I won t have a house fire d) None of the above 5. Most fire deaths are the result of: a) Burns to the body b) Breathing in smoke and toxic chemicals 6. How often should you test your smoke alarms? a) Daily b) Monthly c) Annually d) Never. My smoke alarms are hard-wired. 7. My smoke alarm goes off every time I make toast. How can I get rid of this nuisance? a) Move the smoke alarm b) Wave a towel under the smoke alarm c) Clean out the toaster crumb tray d) Buy a new alarm with a hush feature e) Remove the battery 8. My family and I have about 10 minutes to get out of the house after the smoke alarm goes off. a) True b) False 6

7 ANSWERS: 1. I should replace my smoke alarm every years. I should replace my smoke alarm every 10 years. Like all electronic equipment, smoke alarms have a defined life span. Smoke alarms generally have a life span between seven and 10 years, depending on the specific manufacturer and model. To best determine how to care for your smoke alarm, read the manufacturer's instructions that came with your smoke alarm. Throughout the life of your alarm, test it every month to ensure it is functioning properly. 2. A smoke alarm connected to household current is better than a battery-operated smoke alarm. False. Both types of smoke alarms in Canada must be tested to the same standard and listed by an accredited testing organization such as Underwriters Laboratories of Canada, therefore both types are equally effective. However, both types of smoke alarms should be tested monthly. You will need to change the batteries in battery-operated smoke alarms at least once per year. 3. Ionization smoke alarms are better than photo-electric smoke alarms. Neither. They are both good. Both types of smoke alarms are tested and listed by an accredited testing organization such as Underwriters Laboratories of Canada as life safety devices to the same standard - CAN/ULC- M531 Standard for Smoke Alarms, and are equally effective. 4. I don t need a smoke alarm because None of the above. Every home needs smoke alarms! Remember that one side effect of fires is the generation of carbon monoxide in smoke. Carbon monoxide will aid in the deepening of sleep and will affect the ability of your senses to function properly. Each house should have smoke alarms on every level, outside all sleeping areas and in each bedroom. 5. Most fire deaths are the result of: Breathing in smoke and toxic chemicals. Most people who die from home fires die from breathing the smoke and toxic gases from the fire - not from being burned by flames. These poisonous gases, including carbon monoxide, can render a person confused and disoriented or even unconscious after only a few breaths. These toxic effects may overcome you long before you have time to orient yourself to get out of your own home. If you are asleep and breathe poisonous gases, you may not wake up in time to escape. 7

8 Smoke alarms are your best chance of being alerted to a house fire early enough to escape. 6. How often should you test your smoke alarms? Monthly. You should test your smoke alarms monthly, no matter if they are battery-operated or hardwired into your electrical system. This is the only way to make sure that they are in working condition. Only working smoke alarms can protect your family from fire. If you have battery-operated alarms, replace batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions. Usually the battery will last approximately one year before needing replacement. 7. My smoke alarm goes off every time I make toast. How can I get rid of this nuisance? All of the answers except E are acceptable. You need smoke alarms on every floor of your home, outside all sleeping areas and in each bedroom. If your smoke alarms give nuisance alarms, try the following: relocate the existing smoke alarm a short distance away gently vacuum the outside of the unit, following manufacturer's directions clean your toaster regularly to remove crumbs which can produce smoke when the heat is on replace the smoke alarm with a new one. You can purchase one with a "hush" feature. You could also replace an ionization smoke alarm in the kitchen with a photoelectric type. 8. My family and I have about ten minutes to get out of the house after the smoke alarm goes off. False. Studies have shown that you generally have about three minutes to escape from your home in the event of a fire. This is why it is so important to establish an escape plan for everyone in the family and to practice home fire drills. 8

9 Stop the nuisance Dealing with nuisance alarms safely There is a routine in many Alberta homes and it s putting families at risk. Someone burns dinner, the smoke alarm goes off and while one person is dealing with the food, someone else removes or disconnects the alarm battery. Nuisance alarms, as they re called, usually occur when toast or other cooking items are burned. They can also occur when opening the door of a hot oven or when opening the bathroom door after a hot, steamy shower. "It's very important that Albertans do not remove or disconnect the batteries from their smoke alarms," says Trent West, Alberta s Fire Commissioner. "There are simple ways to deal with nuisance alarms." West encourages Albertans to use the following tips to keep smoke alarms active but avoid nuisance alarms. The first step, according to the Office of the Fire Commissioner, is to prevent this smoke in the first place. Keep ovens and stovetop burners clean and clean out crumbs in the bottom of your toaster. And remember to use the fan on the range hood when cooking to help remove steam and combustion particles from the air. If the alarm does sound, fan the smoke away from the alarm, he recommends. If the problem continues, new alarms can be installed that have a pause or hush feature that will temporarily silence the alarm and then automatically reset itself. The smoke alarm can also be moved to another location. 9

10 Smoke alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing Smoke alarms save lives. However, people who are deaf or hard of hearing may not be able to depend on the traditional smoke alarm to alert them to a fire. Many people don t realize that there are a variety of accessories that make smoke alarms suitable for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, says Ross Bennett, Public Education Officer with the Office of the Fire Commissioner. Strobe lights throughout the home can be activated by smoke detectors and alert people who are deaf in the event of a fire. When people who are deaf are asleep, a high intensity strobe light is required along with a pillow or bed shaker to wake them up and alert them so they can escape. These accessories produce a loud, mixed low pitch sound. They are activated by the sound of the smoke alarm and are usually installed next to the bed. Recent research has shown that a loud, mixed low pitch sound is more effective in waking people of all ages than the loud high pitch sound of a traditional smoke alarm. As people age, their ability to hear high pitch sounds decreases. You can easily purchase smoke alarms with built-in or separate strobe lights through home improvement store websites or by searching the internet for strobe light smoke alarms, says Bennett. Smoke alarm accessories such as bed or pillow shakers, transmitters and receivers are available through and Make sure any smoke alarm or accessory device you use has the label of a recognized testing laboratory. 10

11 Keep your cool when the alarm sounds Have two ways out Imagine waking up to hear your smoke alarm beeping. You are groggy, confused and scared. This is a time when many people panic and end up making serious - sometimes fatal - mistakes. In fact, according to research from the Office of the Fire Commissioner, how a person reacts in a fire can be the difference between life and death. Approximately 20 per cent of people who died in a home fire in a ten-year period in Alberta did not act when the smoke alarm activated. Make sure that everyone in your home knows exactly what to do when the alarm sounds or there is smoke or fire. A good escape plan that your family has practiced will help all to deal with a scary situation in a calm and safe manner. The most important thing is to get out of your home quickly, says Ken Uzeloc, Fire Chief of the Calgary Fire Department. You have three minutes or less before toxic smoke can overtake you, so focus on getting your family out to safety. Uzeloc explains that families need to know two ways out of every room so that if smoke or heat blocks one exit, everyone knows a second way to get out. And teach children to never hide if there is a fire or alarm. We frequently hear stories of children who are scared during a fire and hide in their closets or under their beds, reports Uzeloc. Practice your escape plans so it becomes second nature for everyone in your family. Escape planning also means taking into account the limitations and needs of young children, the elderly and disabled. When you are making your escape plan, do not assume young children will be woken by a smoke alarm. According to recent research, children younger than 9 years old experience the deepest sleep of all groups studied. If you have young children at home, it is best to practice your home fire escape drill during sleeping hours. It is an adult s responsibility to awaken young children during a fire emergency and get them out safely. Choose a family meeting spot so everyone knows where to meet after escaping. It should be a safe distance away from the home, such as under a neighbour s tree or by the community mailbox. I can t stress enough how important it is to rehearse your escape plan, cautions Uzeloc. You can make it fun for your family to do drills. Most importantly, you ll all be able to remain calm and take the right steps to safety if the unthinkable happens. 11

12 Plan an escape for everyone Fire safety for disabled family members If you have family members or visitors who have a disability or special challenges, it s important to take their abilities into account in your fire escape planning. Depending on their disability, they may have additional needs during an escape. If you find that some members of your family cannot escape alone, designate someone to assist him or her, says Ken Block, Fire Chief with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services. And have a back-up plan in case the helper is away at the time of the emergency. Locate this person's bedroom on the ground floor near an exit to make escape easier. Make sure that smoke alarms are installed in and near any sleeping area and have a telephone or telecommunications device installed there too. Consider having ramps constructed for emergency exits. If special assistance or devices are required, they need to be identified and arranged for as part of the escape plan. If someone in your family is hard of hearing, install a smoke alarm that has a flashing strobe light or vibration along with the audible alarm, says Block. Alarms that can be tested using a flashlight or television remote are particularly helpful for people with mobility challenges, people who are visually impaired, and for older adults. Regular wheelchair users should consider having an extra manual wheelchair stored in a garage or shed in case they need to be evacuated from their home without their regular chair, particularly if it s a heavy motorized type. Once you have developed your plan as a family, test it to make sure it will work. Conduct regular fire drills to determine if everyone is able to hear and respond to smoke alarms. You can also contact your local fire department to review your emergency escape plan and discuss any challenges to make sure your entire family can get out quickly and safely. 12

13 Sleeping like a baby Nighttime fire drills critical for heavy sleepers and children Is someone in your family a heavy sleeper? Whether it s a child or an adult, people who are heavy sleepers need extra measures if there is a fire in your home. Heavy sleepers may not wake up when a smoke alarm sounds or their judgment may be impaired when they do wake up. Current research suggests that children may have different sleep patterns than adults which may prevent them from hearing and reacting appropriately to alarms. It appears that children, especially those younger than 15 years, have a deep-sleep phase in the first few hours after they fall asleep, which may prevent them from hearing and reacting appropriately to smoke alarms. "Children's sleep patterns do not mean that smoke alarms are useless," warns Trent West, Alberta's Fire Commissioner. "It means that, in addition to having smoke alarms, we must have excellent fire escape plans which take that into account." Smoke alarms save lives by providing an early warning of smoke and fire danger. However, you won t know how your children or household members will react to the sound of a smoke alarm until you ve tested their response. When you have only moments to get out safely, a fire is not the time to discover these obstacles. West suggests all families practice a home fire drill at least twice a year, including during the night, so you can identify these issues and plan for them in your fire escape plan. For children and other family members who sleep through alarms, appoint an adult or babysitter to be responsible for them in advance. Practice escape drills so your children know how the alarm sounds and what it means. By practicing your escape plan, you will find out if any obstacles exist to your family escaping safely and you will have the opportunity to come up with a plan to deal with those problems. Children are not the only ones at risk of sleeping through an alarm. The elderly, people who are sleep-deprived such as students, shift workers, teenagers, the hearing impaired and anyone taking sedating medication or alcohol or drugs may be affected. Routine home fire drills will help you determine who may not hear the smoke alarm. It is frightening to realize your child or a household member may sleep through a smoke alarm. However, by planning and practicing a fire escape plan at night, you can identify potential problems and solve them. To find out how to practice a fire drill at home, please visit: 13

14 Smoke alarm safety sheet 14

15 Send a Fire Prevention Week ecard This Fire Prevention Week, tell someone you love them and care about their safety by sending an ecard from Sparky, the fire safety mascot. Just go to to find lots of different cards, including birthdays, holidays and Fire Prevention Week. 15

16 Cooking up safety You can prevent kitchen fires Test the water before putting a child in the bath. Wear short or close-fitting sleeves when cooking on the stovetop. Extinguish candles before going to bed. Do these safety tips sound like plain common sense? Well, these and other simple actions may be all it takes to prevent devastating fires and burns. Cooking fires continue to be the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries in Alberta. Happily, most kitchen fires can be avoided by paying attention when cooking in the kitchen. Be alert and pay attention when you are cooking, recommends Ken Uzeloc, Fire Chief of the Calgary Fire Department. Stay in the kitchen when food is cooking. Even if you only plan to leave for a moment, turn off the stove. So many kitchen fires we investigate could have been avoided if people had been paying attention. Pets and children can also be distracting and in harm s way in the kitchen. Turn pot handles inward to avoid them being knocked over. And consider creating a danger zone between the sink, fridge and stove where children do not play. Experts emphasize the importance of keeping combustibles such as curtains, papers and oven mitts away from stovetops. Sleeves and loose-fitting clothing can easily catch on fire, notes Uzeloc. Even recipe cards, magazines, stacks of mail are often lying on kitchen counters or placed absent-mindedly near the stove. General kitchen hygiene is also an important fire safety strategy. Food and grease on stovetops can catch fire. Keep burners, ovens and exhaust fans and filters clean. Knowing what to do in the event of a fire is critical to staying safe and minimizing damage. If a pan catches fire, cover it with a lid to smother the flames and turn off the burner. Never pour water on a fire, especially a grease fire, which can cause a flash of flames. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent the fire from spreading, possibly burning you or your clothes. Experts recommend keeping a multi-purpose fire extinguisher in the kitchen and learning how to use it before an emergency occurs. 16

17 Warm up to fire safety Top 10 ways to keep warm and safe this winter The cold Alberta winters mean many of us use a number of heat sources to keep our homes comfortable and warm. These include furnaces, portable heaters and wood-burning stoves. While these certainly keep us warm, they also create some fire risks if they aren't used properly. Here are some tips from the Office of the Fire Commissioner that will keep you warm and safe: 1. Replace and clean your furnace filter regularly (three to four times a year). 2. Have your heating system inspected and serviced by a qualified technician every year. 3. Ensure that combustible materials such as newspaper, cardboard, paint thinner and paint rags are away from the furnace. 4. Have a service person inspect your chimney, firebox and screen once a year. Have them cleaned when necessary. 5. Use a screen in front of the fireplace to prevent embers and sparks from escaping and igniting carpets or other combustible materials. 6. When purchasing a space heater, be sure to choose one that automatically shuts off if the heater falls over. 7. Space heaters need space. Keep heaters at least one metre (three feet) away from your bed, curtains and other combustible materials. 8. Avoid using an electrical heating device on the same circuit with another high wattage appliance, such as a microwave or toaster oven. 9. Heaters should be placed on a flat and level surface so that they do not tip over. 10. Check electrical heating equipment regularly and replace loose, frayed or damaged cords. 17

18 Be Halloween safe Make trick-or-treating safe for little monsters In the midst of the excitement of Halloween, fire safety may be the last thing on the minds of little boys and ghouls but there are simple things parents can do to make the holiday safe for their little monsters and neighbours. When choosing a costume, the Office of the Fire Commissioner recommends avoiding billowing or long trailing fabric. If you are making your own costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see out. Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume. Alberta's Fire Commissioner, Trent West, says it is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a jack-o-lantern. "If you use a real candle, use extreme caution," he warns. "Be sure to put lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and out of the way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards." Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters. Remind children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. Have them practice stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with their hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out. Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting. 18

19 Curious child sets fire to bedroom closet Quick action by dad praised A six year old boy started a fire in a bedroom closet using a cigarette lighter. His father smelled smoke, discovered the smouldering fire in a pile of clothes and quickly carried the heap to the washroom. He doused it in the bathtub with water from the shower. Damage was confined to the bedroom closet where the fire was started. The smoke alarm in the hallway outside the bedroom did not activate because there was not enough smoke. This story is all too familiar for fire investigators. Developmental studies have shown that 40 to 50 per cent of children have experimented with, or misused, fire out of curiosity. Parental supervision is critical to preventing children from playing with fire starters such as cigarette lighters and matches, says Ken Block, Fire Chief with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services. This includes children left unattended for long periods of time or short lapses in everyday situations when children are left alone such as when adults take showers. Keep children supervised in a safe environment at all times. Information on child-play fires from the United States indicates that lighters and matches are most commonly used in child-related fires. When children set fires in the home, the most common area of fire origin is the bedroom, and the material ignited is often bedding, mattresses, or clothing. Adults have a responsibility to keep smoking related items out of children s reach, adds Block. Although most lighters sold in Canada are considered child-resistant, there is no guarantee that this will deter child-play fires. Toy-like or novelty lighters have been responsible for injuries, deaths, and accidents across in the United States. Parents and adults should refrain from purchasing these to prevent child-play fires. Children as young as two years to those in their teens light fires for many reasons which range from curiosity to psychological need to criminal intent. Parents concerned about their child s curiosity about fire or repeated fire setting behaviours should contact their local fire department for advice and guidance. Working smoke alarms and a well-rehearsed fire escape plan are essential fire safety components in every household. For additional protection, smoke alarms can be installed inside bedrooms. (Note: This is a description of a fire based on similar fires that have happened in Alberta or elsewhere and is not based on one specific fire incident.) 19

20 Fire starts when attention stops Prevent kitchen fires A house wife was preparing French fries in a pot of oil heated on an electric stovetop when the phone rang and she began a conversation. She forgot about the pot of oil. Noticing the smell of burning oil and flames in the pot, she panicked and carried the pot to the sink and poured the flaming oil down the drain. An explosive fire ball ignited the curtains and damaged the cupboards next to the sink. She received second degree burns to her right arm from splattered oil. This is a compelling example of the way many fires occur in kitchens across Alberta. Most cooking-related fires result from unattended cooking. Not paying attention when cooking with oil or grease is an invitation to a kitchen fire, says Brian Cornforth, Fire Chief with the Lethbridge Fire Department. In this case, the cook was distracted by a phone call and her attention was taken away from the pot of oil heating on the stove. Other types of distractions involve falling asleep, fatigue or being incapacitated by alcohol or drugs. This example also reminds us to never let water come in contact with a cooking oil fire, says Cornforth. In a panic, sometimes people throw water on the flames, trying to put the fire out or even throw the contents down a wet sink. Do not carry a flaming pan to the sink. You may slip or fall, or you may splash the oil and burn yourself and others near you. Why do grease fires and water not mix? When the flaming oil comes in contact with water (remember that the boiling temperature of water is 100 C) the water becomes superheated. An explosion of water droplets coated with the flaming oil can spread the fire and ignite nearby combustibles, in many cases, the curtains and cupboards. The best way to put out a cooking oil fire is to turn the heat off and smother the flames by sliding a tight fitting lid over the pot or pan. You can also choose a temperature-controlled electric skillet for frying or a deep fryer which is factory-set to a maximum of 200 C to prevent overheating of cooking oil. If you are distracted while cooking, turn the heat off and move the pot or pan to a safer spot on the stove before you leave the kitchen. 20

21 Elderly couple rudely awakened by arson fire Unsecured back garage open invitation to an arsonist An elderly couple was sleeping in the basement of their two storey home on a warm summer night. Their upstairs bedroom was too warm for a comfortable sleep so they had decided to sleep in the basement. Around 2 o clock in the morning, a neighbour knocked on their door to tell them that their back garage was on fire. They scrambled out of their slumber and went out to investigate. To their surprise, the detached back garage and the car parked inside were on fire. Flames were high, burning the branches of a pine tree and threatening to spread to the house. The fire department arrived soon after and doused the flames. Another car parked next to the garage was damaged beyond repair. Fire investigators determined that the fire was deliberately set. A recent rash of arson fires had swept the neighbourhood. Total fire damage was estimated at $65,000. As dramatic as this story is, arson isn t uncommon in Alberta. Most deliberately set fires occur at night and on weekends. Preventing arson in and around your home is a lot like preventing intruders from entering your house, says Trent West, Alberta s Fire Commissioner. In fact, improving the security of your home and garage is the best way to discourage potential arsonists and vandals. In this incident, the unlocked garage provided the perfect conditions for an arsonist. There was a gasoline can available and a recycling bin with plenty of combustible items such as scrap lumber. Consider the following points to make your home safe from an arsonist or a vandal. Ensure all windows and doors are locked at night and when the house is empty. Keep leaves, firewood, overgrown brush and shrubs and other combustibles away from buildings (house, garage, sheds). Ensure landscaping around your yard doesn t provide camouflage or hiding places. Get rid of rubbish such as newspapers, landscape trimmings and leftover paint. Store all flammable liquids (paint thinners, gasoline) in a locked cabinet. Install good lighting around your property to keep it well-lit all night. Park your car with windows, doors and trunk locked. Never leave the ignition key in a parked car. Make your home look occupied. Leave a few lights on if you go on vacation and have a neighbour pick up your mail and newspaper. If you are concerned about arson and vandalism in your community, consider organizing a Neighbourhood Watch program, suggests West. And be sure to report any suspicious individuals or activity to your local police. 21

22 (Note: This is a description of a fire based on similar fires that have happened in Alberta or elsewhere and is not based on one specific fire incident.) 22