Safety Tips

Ten Tips for Fire Safety:

1. Install Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, test smoke alarms monthly.
- Keep an ABC fire extinguisher in the kitchen (beside the stove)

2. Plan your escape from Fire
- Make sure everyone knows two ways out of every room, chose a meeting place outside; practice your escape plan.

3. Watch out for smokers.
- Provider smokers with deep ashtrays, never smoke in bed or while under the influence of alcohol or medications.

4. Give space heaters space
- Keep one metre between space heaters and everything else, including you.
- Turn off heaters before going to bed.

5. Safety in the kitchen
- Never leave cooking unattended, keep stovetop free of clutter and grease. If a grease fires occurs use a potholder or oven mitts and carefully slide a lid or cookie sheet over the pan and turn off the burner, turn pot handles inward of the stove, keep children 3 feet away from stove.

6. Matches and lighter safety
- Store matches and lighters above the reach of children, teach your children that matches and lighters are tools to be used for adults.

7. Use electricity safely
- Extension cords are for temporary use never overload them or run under rugs. Replace an electrical cord that is cracked or frayed, if an appliance smokes unplugs it immediately, don't tamper with a fuse box or use improperly sized fuses.

8. Cool a burn
- Run cool water over a burn for 10-15 minutes. Never apply ice, salve or butter to a burn as this will seal in the heat and can damage tissue fibre. If burned blisters are charred see a doctor immediately.

9. Crawl low under smoke
- During a fire the air is cleaner near the floor, if your are unable to use your escape route due to smoke and fire, try your alternative exit. If you are forced to escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees, staying below the smoke where the air is easier to breathe.

10. Stop, drop and roll
- If your clothes catch on fire, never run. Stop where you are, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll over to smother the flames.

(information provided by the office of the Fire Commissioner of British Columbia)