7 safety tips to prevent home fires

This is the time of year when joy during the holidays can quickly become tragedy because of the heightened danger of home fires.

Here are some crucial information you need to know courtesy of Toronto Fire Services and the Ontario fire marshal’s office.

Smoke alarms

• Install a smoke alarm on every storey of your home and outside all sleeping areas. It’s the law.
• Test your smoke alarms once a month and change the batteries once a year.
• If your smoke alarms are hardwired they will not function during a power failure, so consider installing a backup battery powered smoke alarm as an additional asset to your home.

Home fire escape plan

• Prepare and practice a fire escape plan with every household member.
• Look for two ways out of each area.
• Assign an adult to help the very young and older adults.
• Choose a safe meeting place outside and call the fire department from a cellphone or neighbour’s house.
• If you live in a multi-storey building, don’t use elevators in the event of a fire.

Cooking

• Be alert when cooking and keep children out of the way.
• Don’t wear loose-fitting clothing and be careful not to reach over hot burners.
• Never leave cooking unattended. If you are cooking at high temperatures or using hot oil, stay in the kitchen while cooking. If you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the stove.
• Keep a proper-fitting pot lid near the stove when cooking. If a pot catches fire, slide the lid over the pot and turn off the stove. Do not attempt to move a burning pot.

Smoking

• Encourage smokers to smoke outside.
• If you do allow smoking indoors use large, deep ashtrays that can’t be knocked over and make sure cigarette butts are properly extinguished.

Candles

• Consider using battery-operated or electric flame candles.
• If using real candles, place them in a sturdy holder and make sure the flame is covered by a glass shade.
• Keep candles out of reach of children and pets and away from anything that can burn.

Heating safety

• Have all chimneys cleaned and inspected every year.
• Have your heating system inspected annually by a qualified service technician.
• Keep space heaters at least one metre away from anything that can burn, including curtains, upholstery, clothing and people.
• Protect your home from sparks. Use a fire screen around the fireplace. Allow the ashes from your wood stove or fireplace to cool before emptying them into a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Keep the container outside.

Power failures

• When power fails don’t use open flames or a charcoal grill indoors.
• Don’t use gas-fuelled appliances as alternative heating sources indoors.
• If you plan to use a portable generator, don’t connect household items to the generator unless you have it wired professionally – don’t hook the generator up to your home’s electrical system.
• Be sure the generator is kept outside where exhaust doesn’t enter buildings.
• Test your smoke alarms now – remember, if they’re hardwired they won’t function during a power failure – install backup battery-powered smoke alarms for additional protection.

With files from CityNews