​Home Fire Safety

Imagine yourself caught at home in the midst of a house fire. All obvious exits are blocked. You start to feel weak and nauseated and your lungs burn with each breath as the vapours and emissions accumulate. You find yourself stumbling with each step and it feels like you’ve lost control of your arms and legs. Next, you’re hit with a wave of headaches and drowsiness.

These are but some of the repercussions of a fire.

Fires affect thousands of Canadians every year, from accidents at the workplace to forest fires, and the impact of these incidences can be devastating. Fires are fast-moving creatures leaving people with little to no time to collect valuables and belongings. In an instant, families and loved ones can be torn apart and left with ruins.

While we’re all aware that the flames and heat from a fire are dangerous and can cause severe burns, fires are also a deadly mixture of fumes and toxic gases. Carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas, is a by-product of a fire that can cause asphyxiation, a condition of being deprived of oxygen.

Basic fire safety begins at home, where a little bit of planning can go a long way towards protecting your loved ones and preventing damage to your property. Below are a few tips about fire prevention as well as what to do in case there is a fire.
 

Home Fire Safety: Fire Prevention

• Cooking
• Smoking
• Appliances
• Candles

Cooking

• Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing while cooking - sleeves can easily get caught on pot handles.
• Turn pot and pan handles inwards and towards the back of the stove.
• Do not cook or use other appliances when you are sleepy or drowsy.
• Keep flammable objects such as paper towels, pot holders, and tea cloths at a safe distance from the stove and oven. As a rule of thumb, it does not belong on the stovetop if it is not a pot or pan.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are cooking, and use a timer as a reminder when roasting or baking foods.
• When you finish cooking, turn off the stove burners, appliances, and oven off promptly. Make it a habit to double-check that the elements and oven are off before leaving the kitchen and your home.
• Keep heat-proof oven mitts handy and use them when moving hot pots or pans.
• Enforce a kid-free zone (such as an area a certain number of feet around the stove and oven) in the kitchen.
• Regularly clean the burners and stovetop - built-up grease can easily catch fire.

• Do not turn on an overhead fan as it can cause the fire to grow and spread.
• If you’re experiencing a grease fire, never use water to put it out the. Instead, use a lid to cover the pan and smother the flames. For shallow grease fires, use baking soda.
• If a fire starts in the microwave, leave the door closed and unplug the unit.

Smoking

• Smoke outside!
• Avoid smoking in bed. The sheets and bedding can quickly catch fire.
• Used butts should be stubbed in a can filled with sand. If possible, douse cigarettes and ahes with water before discarding.
• Double-check that cigarettes and ashes are out completely before walking away.
• Never smoke in a home where oxygen is used. Oxygen is an explosive substance, and can make fires burn faster and hotter.

Electrical and Appliance Safety

• Check appliances (like hair dryers and lamps) frequently for worn or frayed cords. Damaged cords should be replaced and discarded.
• Avoid counterfeit electrical products that may malfunction or have not be assembled properly to withstand power demands. These products can easily overheat or short circuit (where an electrical current follows an unintended path).
• Don’t overload extension cords and wall sockets.
• Don’t run cords under rugs or carpeting.
• Use extra caution when using portable space heaters - turn them off when you’re away from home or plan to go to bed.
• Inspect your furnace regularly.

• Inspect and clean on a regular basis.
• Check for damage and obstructions.
• Ensure that always use a fireplace screen that is heavy enough to withstand rolling logs and large enough to catch flying sparks.
• Make sure the fire is out completely before leaving the house or going to bed.
• Store cooled ashes in a tightly sealed metal container outside the home.
• Never leave children unattended near operating fireplaces and woodstoves, even for a short time.

Candles

• Avoid using lighted candles at home. If possible, use battery-operated candles instead.
• Never leave a lit candle unattended, and children should not be left alone with a burning candle.
• Store lighters and matches out of sight and out of reach. If possible, keep them in a locked cabinet.
• Teach children that if he or she finds matches or a lighter to tell an adult immediately.
• Keep flammable items away from a lit candle.
• A burning candle should be stored on a stable surface.

Smoke Alarms

• Do not disable your smoke alarm while you’re cooking - it can be easy to forget to turn it on again.
• Help seniors and those with special needs set up and check smoke alarms. People with hearing impairments may consider smoke alarms with vibrations or flashing lights.

Around the House and Other Home Fire Safety Tips

• Install an automatic fire sprinkler system.
• Sleep with your door closed as an additional barrier to a fire’s path.
• Set up a home inspection with local fire authorities to identify other fire hazards.
• Get adequate home insurance [link to relevant article?].
• Educate children about the importance of fire safety - fire is a tool, not a toy.

• What are your primary exit options for each room?
• If your primary exit plan is blocked, what are other ways to get out? Consider a window onto a neighbouring roof or a collapsible ladder.
• Are you able to quickly release and remove window screens and security bars?
• If all of the lights in your home are out, will you know how to get navigate your home? Practice getting around with your eyes closed.

• Avoid inhaling particles by covering your nose and mouth with a damp cloth.
• Get low and crawl your way to your planned escape exit - heavy smoke, gases and heat tend to rise and will first collect along the ceiling.
• Get out as quickly as you can!
• Do not open doors right away! Feel the door and doorknob for heat. Keep the door closed if it’s hot, and go to your secondary escape exit.
• If you’re able to open the door, proceed slowly and with caution.

• STOP immediately.
• DROP to the ground, using your hands to cover your face.
• ROLL back and forth or over until the fire is out.
• If you cannot STOP, DROP and ROLL, smother the flames with a towel or a blanket.

• Try to get to a secure area (it should be completely enclosed with a solid door and preferably, a phone and a window)
• Close (but don’t lock!) doors in your home.
• Cover vents and cracks around doors with tape or wet cloths to keep the smoke out.
• Use a flashlight to signal for help.
• Soak everything in the room if possible and prop a water-soaked mattress against the door.
• If you live in an apartment building:
• Listen for instructions from the building’s public address system.
• Never use elevators.
• Hold onto handrails when evacuating the building.