PREVENTION DETECTION ESCAPE Home Fire Safety Guide Three principles to help keep your family fire safe
We are Dedicated to your Family s Safety Let s work together to keep your family and home fire safe. Follow the education material in this booklet to keep your home and family safe. Caledon Fire and Emergency Services, along with the listed links, can provide additional information. Join us The Town of Caledon hires new recruit firefighters on an annual needs requirement. A call for new recruits is advertised in local newspapers and on our web site -- www.caledon.ca/fire -- in the first quarter of each year. CALEDON FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES WWW.CALEDON.CA/FIRE 905.584.2272 x4303
1. PREVENTION DON T GIVE A FIRE A PLACE TO START! Check Your Way to Fire Safety Check your home for hazards and eliminate them. Most home fires are caused by careless cooking and poorly maintained heating / cooling and electrical systems. Use this list to eliminate some of the hazards in your home. Visit www.caledon.ca/fire for more information. Is your stove kept clean and free of grease? Do you keep paper towels, tea towels, curtains and other combustibles away from heat sources? Is cooking supervised closely to prevent boiling over? Do you keep a proper fitting lid close by when using cooking oils? Are all heating sources such as; fireplaces, woodstoves, furnaces, hot water tanks maintained annually? Are matches and lighters kept away from heat and children? Do you empty ashtrays into a non-combustible container for disposal? Is all storage kept away from sources of heat? Are all flammable liquids, solvents and adhesives stored in approved containers? Are these items stored and used in well-ventilated areas, away from sparks or heat? Are your gasoline powered equipment stored outside the house? TAKE OUR COMPLETE PREVENTION QUIZ AT WWW.CALEDON.CA/FIRE
2. DETECTION WORKING ALARMS SAVE LIVES! Install Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms: It s The Law! Every home in Ontario must have a working smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm outside all sleeping areas, as well as a working smoke alarm on every storey of the home. Failure to comply could result in a ticket for $235 or a fine of up to $50,000, depending on the circumstances. oafc.on.ca Install smoke alarms on every storey of your home and outside all sleeping areas. It s the Law! Test your smoke alarms every month. Replace the batteries at least once a year or whenever the low-battery warning sounds. Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years or as per the manufacturer s instructions. Install Carbon Monoxide alarms outside all sleeping areas. Carbon monoxide alarms should be replaced as per the manufacturer s instructions. Carbon Monoxide - a Silent Killer Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that you cannot see, smell or taste. CO is produced by the incomplete burning of fuels, such as: natural gas; propane; heating oil; wood; kerosene; coal or charcoal caused by improperly installed or poorly maintained appliances. Every home should have a CO alarm. Keep fuel-burning appliances, designed for outdoor use -- such as barbeques, camping stoves and propane heaters -- outdoors. They are only to be used outdoors. CALEDON FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
3. ESCAPE PLAN YOUR ESCAPE TODAY - YOUR LIFE MAY DEPEND ON IT TOMORROW! When a Fire Occurs, there is No Time to Spare That is why it is so important to sit down with your family today and make a step-by-step plan to escape a fire. Draw a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of every room -- especially sleeping areas. Discuss the escape routes with every member of your household. Agree on a meeting place outside your home where every member of the household will gather, call 9 1 1 and then wait for the fire department. This allows you to count heads and inform the fire department if anyone is missing or unaccounted for. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year. Have a fire drill in your home. Appoint someone to be a monitor and have everyone participate. A fire drill is not a race. Get out quickly, but carefully. Make your exit drill realistic. Pretend that some exits are blocked by fire and practice alternative escape routes. Pretend that the lights are out and that some escape routes are filling with smoke. Our Family has an escape plan and we practice it twice a year LEARN MORE AT WWW.CALEDON.CA/FIRE
Links, Resources and Contact Information SPARKY THE FIRE DOG Get kids learning about fire safety while they're having fun with Sparky at www.sparky.org WEBSITES AND RESOURCES Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) www.emergencymanagementontario.ca National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) www.nfpa.org Office of the Fire Marshal www.ofm.gov.on.ca Region of Peel www.peelregion.ca Public Safety Canada s Get Prepared program www.getprepared.gc.ca Safety recalls and alerts www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis CALEDON FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES Fire and Emergency Services staff provide: fire prevention education; public premises inspection to ensure that buildings comply with the Ontario Fire Code; extrication and rescue in motor vehicle collisions; fire control; and emergency medical care. For more information email fire@caledon.ca or call: 905.584.2272 x.4303 CALEDON FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES WWW.CALEDON.CA/FIRE