Home Safety

Did you know that most house fires occur during the night, giving people little time to react? Be prepared and be safe!

Causes of Fires at Home

• Careless smoking
• Improperly installed or improperly maintained wood stoves
• Faulty wiring
• Careless use of cooking equipment and flammable liquids
• Unattended candles

Preventing Fires at Home

• Install smoke alarms
• Have a home escape plan
• Plan and practice a home fire drill in Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, Korean, Spanish
• Install fire extinguishers
• Perform routine maintenance on home appliances such as clothes dryers
• Reduce the amount of clutter in your home

What to do if a Fire Occurs in Your Home

• Stay low since smoke rises, leaving air at floor level
• Do not open doors or windows that indicate signs of heat or smoke
• If your clothing catches on fire: stop, drop and roll
• Once you are safe, call 9-1-1 from the nearest phone
• Do not re-enter the building

How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide build up in your home

Detectors not only provide a life saving warning, they are the law in Ontario.

Detectors should be:

• Placed outside bedrooms and on every level.
• Installed and maintained by building owners.
• Tested regularly
• Connected to continuous power supply, such as back-up battery, in case of power outage. 

To protect yourself and your family you can ensure that:

• All fuel burning appliances are inspected, cleaned and installed by qualified repair personnel
• The furnace area has an adequate supply of fresh air
• You never leave your car running in the garage
• You have a few windows open at night just a crack to circulate the fresh air
• A carbon monoxide detector is installed in your home.