EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program Sparking Awareness Through Education WHITBY EMERGENCY SERVICES 1851 FIR E Phone 905.668.3312 Email fire@whitby.ca Web whitby.ca/fire
Table of Contents Emergency Contacts...3 Babysitter Information...4 Message from the Junior Fire Chief...5 Smoke Alarms...6 Home Escape Plan...8 Home Escape Grid...9 Emergency Preparedness...10 Emergency Preparedness Kit...11 Carbon Monoxide Alarms...12 Kitchen Safety Tips...14 Kitchen Hazards 101...15 Open Air Burning...16 Portable Fire Extinguishers...17 Whitby Fire and Emergency Services 111 McKinney Drive Whitby, ON L1R 3M2 905.668.3312 whitby.ca/fire @TownofWhitby #WhitbyFire WHITBY EMERGENCY SERVICES Accessory Apartment Safety...18 Public Education...22Core Values 1851 FIR E Compassion Caring for our community as if they were our family Integrity Being honest and trustworthy, and doing the right thing Excellence Dedicated to excellence in every aspect of the service we deliver to our community All information is current at press time. The publisher will not be responsible for errors, changes or omissions. Page 2 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
Emergency Contacts Emergencies...911 Whitby Fire and Emergency Services...905.668.3312 Town of Whitby...905.668.5803 Regional Municipality of Durham...905.668.7711 Durham Region Transit Whitby (Press 2)...1.866.247.0055 Ontario Poison Control Centre (Crisis Line)...1.800.268.9017 Telehealth Ontario...1.866.797.0000 Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc...1.866.763.5427 Whitby Hydro...905.668.5878 Hydro One...1.800.434.1235 Animal Control (PAWS)...905.655.0283 Electrical Safety Authority (ESA)...1.877.372.7233 Technical Standards & Safety Authority...1.877.682.8772 Rouge Valley Ajax-Pickering Hospital...905.683.2320 Lakeridge Health Oshawa...905.576.8711 Iroquois Park Sports Complex...905.668.7765 Whitby Civic Recreation Complex...905.666.1991 Whitby Public Library...905.668.6531 St. John Ambulance (Car Seat Safety Info)...905.434.7800 Top 3 causes of fire 1. Unattended cooking 2. Smoking Materials 3. Electrical whitby.ca/fire Page 3
Babysitter Information Home Address Home Phone Number Mother s Cell Phone Father s Cell Phone Neighbour s Name Neighbour s Phone Number Emergency Name Emergency Phone Number Child s Name OHIP Number Allergies/Medications Special Instructions Child s Name OHIP Number Allergies/Medications Special Instructions Child s Name OHIP Number Allergies/Medications Special Instructions Veterinarian AEC Animal Emergency Clinic: 905.576.3031 Pet Poison Help Line: 877.416.7319 Ensure you are protected in case of fire! Check with your insurance company to make sure the contents of your residence are covered. Page 4 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
Message from the Junior Fire Chief It is important for kids everywhere to know what to do if a fire starts in their home. Just yell fire really loud, then get out! Never go back in your home until the fire fighters tell you everything is ok. Once you are out, go to your meeting place and don t forget to call 911 at your neighbour s home or apartment! Message from Dave Speed, Fire Chief The women and men of WFES are proud to serve the Whitby community. We continually strive to live our Core Values in order to provide the highest possible level of service to each of you. Please help us to achieve our vision of creating a culture of community safety by taking the time to read through this booklet and commiting to making a change in your personal fire safety behaviour. Vision Creating a culture of community safety. Mission Through innovation, leadership, and education, we are dedicated to protecting life and property. WHITBY EMERGENCY SERVICES 1851 FIR E whitby.ca/fire Page 5
Smoke Alarms Only working smoke alarms can save your life! Protect your family by installing a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas. Failure to comply with the fire code smoke alarm requirements could result in a fine of up to $50,000 for individuals or $100,000 for corporations. Managing nuisance alarms A nuisance alarm is when a smoke alarm accidentally activates, generally due to cooking activities or steam from the shower. How you can address this problem? 1. Install smoke alarms with a pause or hush feature. 2. Move the alarm elsewhere on the ceiling. 3. Avoid having a smoke alarm too close to the cooking area. 4. Keep ovens and burners clean and turn down the setting on the toaster. 5. Use the fan on the range hood when cooking. Page 6 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
Be EverAlert with your smoke alarms Where to install smoke alarms Smoke rises. Install alarms on the ceiling. If you cannot do this, place them high on a wall (between 4 and 12 inches from the ceiling) and according to the manufacturers instructions. Avoid locations near bathrooms, heating appliances, windows or close to ceiling fans or corners. Smoke alarm maintenance Replace smoke alarms every ten years. Test your smoke alarms every month using the test button. Replace smoke alarm batteries twice a year, and whenever the low-battery warning chirps. Dust can clog a smoke alarm so carefully vacuum every six months. Installation of smoke alarms Working smoke alarms are required on every storey of your home and outside your sleeping areas. Also consider installing a working smoke alarm in each bedroom of your home. Sleep with your bedroom door closed Remind children to sleep with the bedroom door closed. This may give them additional time to escape smoke and flame should a fire occur in your home! Safeguard your documents! Keep important documents in a fire resistant safe and copies in an alternate location. whitby.ca/fire Page 7
Home Escape Plan Get out and stay out! When a fire happens, confusion can occur. Fires can be dark, loud and make it difficult to navigate through a home you thought you knew well. You may have only seconds to safely escape your home. Be EverAlert and develop and practice a home fire escape plan. Ensure that all exits are unobstructed. Have two ways out of every room. Decide who will be responsible for helping young children, seniors or anyone that may need assistance. Choose a meeting place outside, a safe distance from your home where everyone can be accounted for. If caught in smoke, get low and crawl under the smoke to the nearest safe exit. Most fire deaths are the result of smoke inhalation. Call 911 from outside the home, from a cell phone or neighbour s home. Once out, stay out. Never re-enter a burning building. Practice your plan at night when children are sleeping. Page 8 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
Home Escape Grid Draw your main floor layout on the grid below. Mark your main route out of each room. In a different colour, map out a secondary route (windows). Designate a meeting spot outside. Practice with your family. whitby.ca/fire Page 9
Emergency Preparedness Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can confine you to your home or force you to evacuate your neighbourhood. What can you do? When planning for an emergency, consideration should be given to disruption of day-to-day services like electricity, water, heat, air conditioning, telephone services and transportation. Plan on having food, water and other essentials, such as medications, for at least 72 hours (three days) for your family. In some emergencies you may need to make additional preparations for your pets, seniors and persons with special needs. Know the Risks Make a Plan Get a Kit Is your family prepared? The Emergency Response System Emergency personnel (police, fire, emergency medical services) will be the first to respond in any event. For large-scale disasters, Whitby and Durham Region will recall key personnel, open Emergency Operations Centres and coordinate support for the emergency response personnel. Page 10 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
Emergency Preparedness Kit Emergency kit Once you have created your family s emergency plan, you will need to make an emergency kit with all the supplies you will need for the 72 hours following a disaster. Begin with a checklist to ensure nothing important is forgotten. Some of the items you will need to include are: Water 2 litres per person per day Food (dried or canned) & can opener Flashlights and extra batteries Chemical lights Transistor radio with batteries First Aid kit Medications you need for 3 days and glasses if needed Blankets Toys for children A bag to pack some of your kit should you need to relocate Remember your pets Pack an emergency kit for your pet, don t forget to include food and water for 7 days (4 litres per day on average) a bowl, copies of vaccination records and pet licence, a leash and muzzle, a cage or container with your name and veterinarian clearly labeled on it, treats and a blanket. 72 Hour Kit Vehicle Kit Pet Kit whitby.ca/fire Page 11
Carbon Monoxide Alarms Early warning can help save your life Working CO alarms are the only way to determine if carbon monoxide is present in the home. What is Carbon Monoxide? Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless and deadly gas. Where does Carbon Monoxide come from? CO is a common by-product of combustion, which is present whenever fossil fuels are burned. CO enters your home from faulty or improperly ventilated home appliances that burn natural gas, oil, propane, wood or kerosene. Be EverAlert and prevent problems Have furnaces and chimneys professionally cleaned and inspected every year Do not leave vehicles or lawn mowers running in enclosed spaces Use barbecues outside, not in the home or garage What are the health risks? Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea and dizziness. In severe cases CO poisoning can cause brain damage and death. Where do I put my Carbon Monoxide Alarm? Install CO alarms as near to the sleeping area as possible. Additional alarms can be located near the home s heating source for added safety. Test and maintain as per manufacturers instructions. Page 12 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
What if the Carbon Monoxide Alarm goes off? 1. Evacuate all occupants from the home immediately without ventilating. 2. Call 911 from a safe location. 3. Do not re-enter the home until you are told it is safe to do so. Carbon Monoxide Alarms are now required by law Protect your family from the hidden dangers of carbon monoxide by installing a working carbon monoxide alarm on every level of your home that contains a sleeping area. This new law requires that a carbon monoxide alarm(s) be installed in your home or apartment if it contains any fuel fired appliances including; a gas stove, wood stove, furnace, gas fueled water heater, fire place or if your home is connected to an adjacent garage. Failure to comply with the fire code carbon monoxide alarm requirements could result in a fine of up to $50,000 for individuals or $100,000 for corporations. whitby.ca/fire Page 13
Kitchen Safety Tips Stay in the kitchen while cooking. Do not cook if you are sleepy, if you have been drinking alcohol excessively, or if you have taken medication that makes you drowsy. Declare a 1 m (3 ft.) no children/no pets zone around your stove. Apply cool running water to a burn for 5 10 minutes. Seek immediate medical attention if blisters appear. Emergency Measures In case of a grease or pan fire: Protect your hand with an oven mitt. Smother the fire by sliding a lid over the pan or pot. Turn off the burner. Never throw water or flour on a grease fire. Never attempt to carry a flaming pot. The contents may spill, spread or burn you. Oven fires Turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed. Microwave fires Keep the door closed and unplug the microwave. Have it serviced before you use it again. Did you know? 24 percent of fires occur between 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. More fires start in the kitchen than any other room in the home. Careless cooking accounts for 21 percent (or approximately 1 in 5) of all residential fires in the Town of Whitby. The leading cause is unattended cooking. Page 14 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
Kitchen Hazards 101 1. Keep pot handles turned toward the back of the stove. 2. Avoid storing frequently used items above the stove where you may be burned reaching for them. 3. Keep combustibles such as pot holders, paper towels, and food packaging away from the stove. 4. Stay in the kitchen while cooking. 5. Roll up your sleeves while cooking. If your clothes catch on fire, stop, drop and roll. 6. Keep stove surface clean and free of burnable objects. 7. Keep oven mitts and a pot lid nearby in case of a pot/ pan fire. Incorrect Correct whitby.ca/fire Page 15
Open Air Burning Open Air Burning is Prohibited in the Town of Whitby The burning of combustible materials including wood, paper, plastic refuse and combustible metals is prohibited under a Town of Whitby by-law. This does not apply to ULC or CSA listed barbeques, grills, cooking appliances or gas fireplaces listed for outdoor use by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority of Ontario (TSSA). Burn permits may be issued to agriculturally zoned properties for the removal of brush related to the property. Barbecue safety Clean and inspect your barbecue before firing it up for the season. Test for leaks! Brush 50/50 soap/water combo on hoses and connections. Bubbles indicate a leak. Never put water on a grease fire! It will grow! Propane cylinders must be replaced or tested after 10 years. Never operate a generator or barbecue in your home or garage. For information regarding open air burning contact: Whitby Fire and Emergency Services 905.668.3312 fire@whitby.ca Page 16 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
Portable Fire Extinguishers Be EverAlert: Remember the acronym PASS P Pull the pin A Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire S Squeeze the trigger S Sweep the extinguisher from side to side Fire extinguishers should only be used on small, contained fires. Never let a fire get between you and the exit. In most cases, the best thing to do in a fire is get everyone out and call 911 from outside the home. Purchase an extinguisher that has an ABC rating that can be used on most fires. Read manufacturers instructions carefully. Most fire extinguishers empty in less than 30 seconds. If the fire is not out by then, leave the home and call 911. Extinguishers should be serviced or replaced every 6 years. Only use an extinguisher if you have learned how to do so. Portable Fire Extinguisher whitby.ca/fire Page 17
Apartment Safety What is an Accessory Apartment? Accessory apartment means a separate, self-contained area within a dwelling, used or intended to be used by one or more persons, which contains cooking, eating, living, sleeping and sanitary facilities. What is a Dwelling? Dwelling unit means a suite operated as a housekeeping unit, used or intended to be used by one or more persons and usually containing cooking, eating, living, sleeping and sanitary facilities, and includes a residential unit. Accessory apartments are required to meet the Ontario Fire Code, The Ontario Building Code and Town zoning requirements to be registered and considered legal. Page 18 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
Accessory Apartment Safety Tips Ensure you have a working Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm installed and working. Ensure you have your own exit directly to the exterior at grade; you should not exit through the other dwelling unit. Have a home escape plan and practice it. Never leave cooking unattended. If a fire occurs ensure you notify the other tenants to evacuate. Ensure combustible materials are not stored in the path of exit travel. Once you get out, stay out. A tenant of a rental suite shall notify the landlord as soon as the tenant becomes aware that smoke or carbon monoxide alarm in the unit is disconnected, smoke or carbon monoxide alarm in the unit is not operating, or the operation of a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm in the unit is impaired. Know the risks Do not disable a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm! whitby.ca/fire Page 19
Homeowner It is your responsibility to install and maintain listed carbon monoxide alarms on every storey of your home located outside the sleeping areas. Landlord It is your responsibility to install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms where required by the Ontario Fire and Building Codes. Tenant If you are a tenant of a rental property and do not have the required number of carbon monoxide alarms, contact your landlord immediately. It is against the law for tenants to tamper with or disable the alarm. Page 20 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program
Public Education Be EverAlert and visit us at whitby.ca/fire to learn more about events and programs offered. Current Programs Learn Not To Burn Program EverAlert Residential Smoke Alarm Program Emergency Preparedness Week Racing Against Drugs Durham Junior Fire Department Program Fire Safety House: On request for events and programs It Happened On Your Street: Following major fires The Arson Prevention Program for Children (TAPP-C) by request Visit us at Annual Town of Whitby Events Brooklin Spring Fair Canada Day County Town Carnival Whitby Harbour Day Brooklin Harvest Festival Whitby Heritage Day Brooklin Christmas in The Village Whitby Christmas Tree Lighting View a complete list of Town of Whitby events at: whitby.ca/events Did you know? Whitby Fire and Emergency Services offers fire safety information to those with accessibility and language needs. If you require this in an alternate format please contact us! whitby.ca/fire Page 21
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Whitby Fire and Emergency Services invites you to register to the Junior Firefighter Program This week-long program teaches fire prevention and fire safety to children 11 and 12 years of age of all abilities. Participants must be 11 years old by the start of the selected camp week. Gain insight into the life of a firefighter and learn about the following: First Aid/CPR Fire extinguisher training Home escape planning How to react in emergencies The use of the emergency rescue equipment Take a ride in an aerial truck bucket Extrication demo using the 'Jaws of Life' Register online at whitby.ca/smartlink Due to program popularity, a child is eligible to participate in the program for one week only. Children who have participated in the program in previous years are not eligible to enroll. WHITBY Inclusion services are available. Find the required forms online at whitby.ca/camps EMERGENCY SERVICES 1851 FIR E whitby.ca/fire 905.668.3312 Page 24 EverAlert Home Fire Safety Program