Chapter 2

FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION FOR THE HOUSE OWNER

Chapter Two: Fire Safety Practices

It is interesting to note that, although less than half of all fires reported in Canada were in residential properties, most of the fatalities (85%) occurred in this type of building. This can be due to a number of factors. In properties other than residential (e.g. business and industrial), although the number of fires reported is about the same, the buildings are usually required to meet more stringent standards of construction, have fire alarms and fire extinguishment equipment installed (including sprinkler systems), have regulated fire escape routes, and are routinely inspected by the Fire Department for equipment operation and Fire Code infractions. In addition, if it is a building with sleeping quarters (such as an institution or hospital), the occupants are never all asleep at the same time. Now there is no reason why we, as house owners, cannot raise our standards of fire safety close to those of non-residential property owners. To this end, a comprehensive program of fire safety requires actions which minimise the chance of a fire starting and maximise your chances of escape, should a fire start.

Prevention

Avoid hazards

Avoid hazardous situations by practising proper storage and use of flammable materials, maintaining electric appliances and cords in good working order, not overloading electrical circuits, keeping stove and barbecue free from grease, not allowing garbage accumulation, properly using smoking materials, and keeping matches away from children. These are just a few examples of the steps that should be taken to alleviate hazardous situations - others are listed in Chapter 3.

Protection

Protect yourself

Keep doors closed: Keep internal doors closed whenever possible, particularly at night. Bedroom doors should be kept closed while the occupants are sleeping - but be sure that smoke detector alarms are loud enough to waken sleepers. This will delay the entry of toxic fumes into the room and also help keep out the heat in the event of a fire. Keep basement and utility room doors closed at all times. Closed doors will also delay fire growth by decreasing the feed of oxygen to the fire.

Establish and practice family escape plans: Planning and practising a rapid and safe exit from your house is important in the event of a fire. You and your family should know what to do in the event of a fire, and have a fire drill at least once every six months. Refer to Chapter 8.

Equip your home with smoke and heat detectors: Establish a fire alarm system around your house that will give an adequate early warning signal of a developing fire situation, and will waken you if you are asleep. Refer to Chapter 5.

Equip your home with gas detectors: If you have a gas fireplace, furnace, water heater, or any other natural gas appliance in your home, equip your house with one or more detectors that will sense an immediate gas leak. These are also recommended in mobile homes where propane gas is used. Refer to Chapter 4.

Equip your home with fire extinguishers: Allow yourself the ability to extinguish small fires before they get out of hand. Refer to Chapter 6.

Install a sprinkler system: In new homes, additions to old homes, and in old homes where you can justify the added expenditure, install a quick-response residential sprinkler system. Refer to Chapter 7.

Inform the babysitter: Make sure your babysitter is familiar with these fire safety practices and knows the escape routes. Leave a telephone number where you can be reached in the event of an emergency. Also make sure regular visitors and overnight guests are familiar with your escape plans.

Protect valuable documents: Ensure that valuable documents, especially those related to fire insurance, are kept in a safety deposit box at a bank. If it is necessary to keep such documents at home, keep them in a fire- resistant container. See Chapter 3.

For the deaf and hearing impaired: Hearing loss affects more Canadians than any other physical disability. If a member of your household has some degree of hearing loss, it is important that you take special precautions to ensure that they have the same chances of escape as a person with normal hearing. This is discussed in more detail in Chapter 3.

Minimal Prevention and Protection

To implement all of the recommendations in this report may require more money than you can afford at the present time, and you may decide that the protection does not justify the expense. However, the avoidance of hazardous situations, together with the establishment and practising of family escape plans, costs nothing. The purchase of one or two self-contained smoke detectors (as recommended in Chapter 5) is highly recommended and the cost very little (less than $20 each) compared to the protection they will afford your family. In addition, at least one ABC-type fire extinguisher should be purchased and installed where it can be easily accessed from any area in the house (see Chapter 6). Other equipment (such as interconnected smoke detectors, system alarms and sprinklers) is highly recommended for complete protection.

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