A Fire Safety Plan For Your Home
Home fires are the leading cause of fire injuries and deaths in Canada, but most home fires are preventable if the proper precautions are taken. However, it’s still wise to have some fire blankets and fire extinguishers on hand because accidents can happen.
According to Statistics Canada, residential fires accounted for approximately two-thirds of structural fires between 2017 and 2021. And the 2023 Stats Canada Report stating that the leading cause of residential fires and fire related injuries are cooking mishaps, especially oil and grease fires.
Other common sources of potential fires are your electrical system, heating equipment, clothes dryers, and barbeques.
1. Fire Prevention Tips
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Develop an emergency escape plan, and make sure every member of your household is familiar with the plan.
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Buy a fire blanket for the cooking area of your kitchen. You may also want to place additional fire blankets in other rooms where there is a potential for a fire.
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Buy a fire extinguisher. While fire blankets are more effective and quicker to use for small fires, fire extinguishers are necessary for larger fires.
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Have your furnace, wood-burning fireplaces, and chimneys professionally inspected annually.
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Hire an electrician to inspect your electrical system for faulty or outdated wiring and breaker boxes.
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Regularly test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they’re working.
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Keep cooking oil and other combustibles well away from your stove.
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Regularly check and remove lint from your clothes dryer lint filter and exhaust duct.
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Do not use extension cords for appliances and replace any worn or damaged cords.
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Ensure that portable space heaters are not placed too close to beds, couches, rugs, or curtains.
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Regularly clean your barbeque and inspect the burner ports, the hose and its connection.
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Do not keep combustibles, such as firewood, leaves, and garbage, close to the house.
2. Fire Safety Tips
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Don’t leave food that’s cooking unattended. When you’re frying, baking, boiling, or roasting, you should regularly check on your food, and make sure you don’t leave the kitchen.
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Small children, pets, and all combustible materials should be kept away from the cooking areas.
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Make sure the handles on your cookware don’t stick out over the edge of the stove.
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Your cooking oil should be heated slowly, and at a moderate temperature not exceeding 200 degrees Celsius.
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Don’t be tempted to cook when:
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you have been drinking alcohol or using cannabis.
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you have taken medication that has made you sleepy.
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Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothes while cooking.
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Be very cautious when deep-fat frying since hot oil can catch fire very easily. Your deep fryer should not be filled to more than one-third full, and the oil should be kept at a moderate temperature.
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Make sure that no combustible items are near space heaters or fireplaces.
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Avoid smoking in bed. ​
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Ensure cigarettes and cigars are properly extinguished.
A Home Fire Safety Plan: You Won’t Regret It
Following the prevention and safety tips above will greatly reduce the chances of home fires. You can relax knowing that you and your family are safe.