Fire Safety is an important issue for all of us. Residential fires are responsible for a tragic number of deaths, injuries and millions of dollars in property damage and health care costs annually. Most people will never face a major fire but don't think it will never happen to you!

A smouldering fire may go undetected for hours, especially when people are asleep. Such a fire will continue developing, giving off smoke and gases which may not be visible but which consume oxygen and replace it with toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and hydrogen cyanide.

These killer agents can take effect before a sleeper is disturbed. An early warning system -- a smoke alarm -- is considered one of the most effective defences against this situation.

Smoke Alarms

• Purchase one or more smoke alarms.
• Install alarms properly.
• Identify escape routes and practice escaping.
• Maintain your alarms.

How do smoke alarms work?

Smoke alarms work by sensing the rising smoke from a fire and sounding an alarm. They can detect smoke far from the origin of the fire. Smoke alarms are most valuable at night, alerting family members to the presence of fire when they are asleep. Smoke alarms can alert the occupants in the early stages of a fire while conditions are such that a safe evacuation is still possible.

Maintain your smoke alarm

Smoke alarms should be cleaned at least once every six months. They are to be tested at least once a year, and battery powered alarms are to have new batteries installed at least once a year. It is recommended that smoke alarms older than 10 years be replaced.

Practice your escape

Now that you have your first line of defence, your family should have an escape plan, because getting out may not be as easy as walking out the door. Plan and practice exit drills with at least two ways out from every room of your home. Make the escape drills as realistic as possible - pretend that certain exits are blocked, that there are no lights and that hallways are filling with smoke. Teach everyone to recognize the sound of the smoke alarm and what to do when they hear it. Never return to a burning building under any circumstance, and use a neighbour's phone for the emergency call to 9-1-1. Here are some key things to remember:

• If you encounter smoke, use your alternate exit.
• If you must escape through smoke, crawl low where the air is cooler and cleaner.
• If your clothing catches on fire - DO NOT RUN - instead STOP, DROP to the ground and ROLL to smother the flames.

General Safety Tips

• If electrical systems and equipment are not well-maintained, they become fire hazards. Follow these safety tips to prevent electrical fires:
• Immediately replace any electrical cords that are cracked or frayed or that get hot during use.
• Don't overload electrical outlets or extension cords.
• If appliances aren't working right, have them repaired by a qualified professional.
• Disconnect any electrical device if you feel a tingle when you touch it, if it emits a burning smell, or if it blows a fuse.
• Be sure all your electrical appliances are ULC labelled.
• If a fuse blows or a circuit breaker trips in your home, try to find out why. Make sure the new fuse is the right size and amperage. Fuses and circuit breakers protect you; don't tamper with them.
• If there are small children in your home, insert plastic child protector covers into electrical outlets.
• Prevent shocks. Make sure your hands are dry and do not stand in or near water when using appliances such as hair dryers. Unplug them after use. If the inside of an appliance gets wet, have it serviced before using it again.

Kitchen

• Never leave cooking unattended.
• Keep your stove and oven clean.
• Wear close-fitting sleeves when cooking.
• Do not hang curtains or store things over the stove.
• Turn pot handles inward so they can't be knocked off the stove or pulled down by small children.
• If a grease fire starts, carefully slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames, and turn off the burner. Never pour water on a grease fire.
• Never leave pot holders on the stove.

Sleeping Areas

The majority of fatal home fires happen while people are sleeping. So it is extremely important to install smoke alarms and to practice family escape drills.

• Never smoke in bed.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home (including the basement) and especially outside every sleeping area. Make sure everyone can hear and recognize the alarm's sound. If you sleep with bedroom doors closed, install alarms inside bedrooms, as well.
• Plan and practice two escape routes from each room. If one way out leads through a window above the first floor, make sure you have a way to reach the ground safely.
• Make sure everyone in your family knows the home escape plan, the meeting place, and the phone number of the fire department (9-1-1), which they should call from a neighbour's phone, after escaping from the building.

Basement or Garage

• If you keep gasoline on hand, store it outside your home or in a detached garage. Keep only small quantities, and use a ULC-listed gasoline safety can.
• Always store paint and other flammable liquids in their original labelled containers with tight-fitting lids.
• Use and store flammable liquids well away from appliances, heaters, pilot lights, cigarettes, and other sources of heat.
• Have your furnace checked every year by a professional.
• Remove trash from your home. Don't store anything near the furnace or heater.
• Never use gasoline to start a barbeque or campfire. Keep barbeques outside of homes, and away from overhangs and combustibles.
• Before starting your lawnmower, snowblower or motorcycle, move it away from gasoline fumes. Let the motor cool before you refuel.

Living & Family Rooms

• Use extreme caution with cigarettes! Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Check for smouldering cigarettes under cushions of couches and chairs before you go to bed or leave your home.
• Keep portable space heaters at least 1 metre (3 feet) away from anything that can burn. Always turn heaters off when you go to bed or go out. Never leave children alone in a room with a portable heater or woodstove operating.
• Use a metal screen on your fireplace.
• Have your chimney professionally checked once a year and cleaned when necessary.
• Use only the correct fuel for heat: aged wood in fireplaces and woodstoves and only kerosene in kerosene heaters. Refuel a heater in a well-ventilated area, after the heater has cooled.
• Keep lighters and matches up high, preferably in a locked cabinet, where young children can't see or reach them.
• Make sure TVs and stereos have space around them to prevent overheating.

If you have any further questions regarding fire safety, please contact the Saanich Fire Department Fire Prevention Office at (250) 475-5500

Fire Prevention Links

• Fire Prevention Canada
• Fire Safety Tips - Prevent Burn Injuries!
• Firewise - Tips for Around your Home (outside)
• Sparky the Fire Dog *Kids*