Fire Safety Equipment

• Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside of each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home. Install smoke alarms away from the kitchen to prevent nuisance alarms. They should be at least 10 feet (3 metres) from a cooking appliance.
• Test your smoke alarms once a month by pressing the test button and replacing the batteries as needed. 
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old and if any smoke alarm that does not respond after a new battery has been installed. 

Did you know? Smoke alarms can be interconnected throughout the home for the best protection meaning when one sounds, they all sound. Interconnected alarms can be installed electrically or by installing battery-operated wireless interconnected smoke alarms.

Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. 

To find out how old your smoke alarm is follow these steps:

• Remove the smoke alarm from the wall or ceiling. 
• Look at the back of the alarm for the date of manufacture. 
• If it was made less than 10 years ago, put the alarm back on the wall or ceiling. 
• If it was made 10 or more years ago or you cannot find the manufacture date, replace the alarm with a new one.

Purchasing a smoke alarm can be overwhelming with the number of options available in the store. Ask yourself the following questions prior to purchasing the right one for your home:

1. Do you have battery-operated alarms or hard-wired alarms installed in your home? 
   While hard-wired alarms are recommended for greater reliability, if you have battery-operated alarms, consider purchasing devices with a 10-year battery.
2. Do you need a CO and smoke alarm combination device? 
   If you already have CO detectors installed in your home, purchasing a combo device isn’t essential. However, these combination alarms can offer additional protection and peace of mind.
3. Photoelectric vs. ionization smoke alarm? 
   For the best protection or where extra time is needed to wake up or assist others, both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or combination ionization-photoelectric alarms, are recommended. An ionization smoke alarms is more responsive to flaming fires and a photoelectric smoke alarm is more reponsive to smoldering fires. 
4. Is anyone in your home deaf, hard of hearing, or have sensitivities to loud sounds?
   If so, consider installing smoke alarms and alert devices tailored to these needs. For instance, smoke alarms with strobe lights or vibrating bed shakers can provide effective alerts for those who might not respond to traditional alarms.

• Carbon monoxide is often called "the invisible killer". It is created when fuels such as butane, natural gas, coal, propane, methane, or wood don't burn completely. CO gas can kill people and pets.

  • Install carbon monoxide alarms outside of each separate sleeping area, on every level of the home, and in other locations as required by laws, codes, and standards.
  • Test your CO alarms once a month by pressing the test button. If your alarm uses batteries, replace the batteries once a year. 
  • Replace all smoke alarms when they expire - they can last between 5 - 7 years. Both battery-operated and hard-wired CO alarms need to be replaced when they expire.

  If you suspect CO exposure:

  1. Evacuate the property immediately and move to an area with fresh air.
  2. Call 9-1-1 without delay.
  3. Do not go back inside and wait for the approval of emergency service responders before re-entering the property.

 If you are exposed to CO gas, you may get flu-like symptoms such as:

• headaches
• nausea
• dizziness
• confusion
• fatigue
• lose conciousness

Other warning signs you might have CO gas in your house:

• stale or stuffy air
• a lot of moisture on your windows and walls
• soot build-up around appliances and vents
• pilot light that keeps going out

Yearly tips:

• Check all the fuel-burning appliances in your home; make sure they are used and working properly.
• Make sure fuel-burning appliances, chimneys, and vents are cleaned and inspected by professionals annually before you start to use them, ususally when the weather gets cold.

Indoor tips:

• Never use the stove or oven to heat your home. 
• Make sure to open the flue of your fireplace before you use it. 
• Never run a car, vehicle, or other motor inside a garage, even if the garage door is open. Always drive your car or vehicle out of the garage right after starting it. 

Outdoor tips:

• Make sure your vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, fireplace, and other fuel-burning appliances are always clear or snow and other debris. 
• Only use gas and charcoal barbeques outdoors, away from all doors, windows, vents, and other building openings. Never use barbeques inside a garage, even if the garage door is open. 
• Only use fuel-burning generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas awar from windows, doors, vents, and other building openings.

• All fire extinguishers are labeled using standard symbols for the types of fire they can put out. 

  • Install in escape routes, near exits, and in plain view. Keep extinguishers away from hazards.

  Class A fire: includes ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth, and paper. 

  Class B fire: includes flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, and oil-based paint.

  Class C fire: includes energized electrical equipment such as wiring, circuit breakers, and appliances. 

A home fire extinguisher should be inspected regularly to ensure it is in working condition.

Fire extinguishers in commercial buildings are required to be inspected by a qualified contractor on an annual basis.

A fire extinguisher can be used following these four simple steps (PASS):

• P - Pull the pin 
• A - Aim low
• S - Squeeze the lever
• S - Sweep from side to side