Practice home fire escape planning on Family Day

Waterloo Fire Rescue urges families to practice their home fire escape plan as part of their Family Day activities on Monday February 21.

“Family Day is a great opportunity to remind your family about what they must do in the event of a fire,” says Fire Chief Richard Hepditch. “Everyone needs to know how to get out of the home safely when the smoke alarm sounds, especially because most fatal fires occur at night when people are asleep.”

Simple steps for home fire escape planning:

•    Install smoke alarms on every storey and outside sleeping areas. It’s the law. For best protection, install additional smoke alarms in every bedroom.
•    Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide (CO) alarm adjacent to all bedrooms.
•    Develop a home fire escape plan, discuss it with the entire family and do a fire drill.
•    Show everyone two ways out of each room, if possible.
•    Check that all exits are unobstructed and easy to use.
•    Determine who will be responsible for helping young children, older adults or anyone else that may need assistance.
•    Choose a meeting place outside, such as a tree or a lamp post, where everyone can be accounted for.
•    If caught in smoke, get low and go under the smoke to the nearest safe exit.
•    Call the fire department from outside the home, from a cell phone or a neighbour’s home.
•    Once out, stay out. Never re-enter a burning building.

 For more information on fire and life safety, please visit the Waterloo Fire Rescue website or follow us on Twitter.

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For more information,

John Percy
Public Education Officer
Waterloo Fire Rescue
john.percy@waterloo.ca