TORONTO, Oct. 6, 2015 /CNW/ – To help launch this year’s Fire Prevention Week, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is reminding people about its top 10 tips for preventing fire and saving lives. This year’s theme is “Hear The Beep When You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!”.
“Roughly half of home fire deaths result from fires reported at night between 11pm and 7am,” said Doug DeRabbie, Director, Government Relations, IBC. “This Fire Prevention Week we are asking Ontarians to make sure they have working smoke alarms in place to keep their families safe.”
1. Install and regularly check smoke alarms
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of your home. Larger homes may need more alarms
- Remove dust, check batteries when the clocks change in the spring and fall, test regularly and replace at least every 10 years
- Develop an emergency preparedness plan and fire evacuation plan, practise executing it and stick to the plan in an emergency
- Ensure there is no blockage or buildup that could cause a fire
- Never use light bulbs with a higher wattage than the maximum indicated on the fixture
- Properly use and watch portable heaters, ensure lint is removed from the dryer, never leave an iron unattended and keep an eye on burning candles
- Use your kitchen safely, especially when deep-frying or cooking with flammable oils
- Keep gasoline, solvents, waste and other materials that could ignite at a distance of at least 10 meters from your home
- Keep leaves, other dry materials and potentially flammable garbage away from the exterior of your house, especially if you have wood or vinyl siding
- Make a list of what you own, including the value of each item; take photos or make a video of your belongings; and update the list regularly
- Prepare a basic kit of food, water and other necessities that will last at least 72 hours in the event of an an emergency