Thunder Bay Fire Rescue Public Service Announcement
1. Water real trees daily. Keep the base of the tree trunk in water at all times. Keep your tree away from any ignition source such as a fireplace, heaters or candles.
2. Check all lights before decorating. Before you put up lights, check the cords closely. Discard any sets that are frayed or damaged. Never plug more than three strings of lights together. Never connect LED to conventional lights. This is likely to wear out LED bulbs more rapidly and could pose a fire or electrical hazard.
3. Test your smoke alarms and replace any over 10 years old. It's the law to have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside all sleeping areas. Test alarms monthly and replace batteries at least once a year, or choose "Worry-Free" models with 10-year sealed batteries that never need to be changed. Check the age of your smoke alarms and replace them every 10 years.
4. Protect your family with carbon monoxide alarms.It's the law in Ontario to have working CO alarms outside all sleeping areas of your home if your home has either an attached garage, wood or gas fireplace, or any other fuel-burning appliance. Like smoke alarms, CO alarms wear out. Check the age of your CO alarms and replace according to manufacturer's instructions.
5. Make sure everyone knows how to get out safely.Plan and practice a home fire escape plan with everyone in your family. Try and have two ways out of every room. Once outside, stay outside and call 911 from a cell phone or neighbor’s house. Determine who will be responsible for helping anyone who may need assistance exiting the home.
6. Use extension cords wisely. Avoid overloading circuits with plugs and extension cords, as this can create overheating that could result in fire. Never put cords under rugs or anywhere they could receive damage.
7. Give space heaters space. Keep them at least one metre (three feet) away from anything that can burn such as curtains, upholstery, bedding, or holiday decorations.
8. Go flameless. Avoid using real candles. If you must use real candles, remember to blow them out before leaving the room or going to bed. Keep lit candles safely away from children and pets and away from anything that can burn.
9. Keep matches and lighters out of the sight and reach of children. Matches and lighters can be deadly in the hands of children. If you smoke, have only one lighter or book of matches and keep it with you at all times.
10. Look while you cook. Always stay in the kitchen and pay attention to your cooking. If a pot catches fire, carefully slide a tight-fitting lid over the pot to smother the flames and then turn off the heat.
11. Encourage smokers to smoke outside. Careless smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires. Encourage smokers to smoke outside and use large, deep ashtrays that can't be knocked over. Make sure cigarette butts are properly extinguished in metal containers kept outside the house.
12. There's more to responsible drinking than taking a cab home. With all the festive cheer this time of year, keep a close eye on anyone attempting to cook or smoke while under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol is often a common factor in many fatal fires.
