CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — With self-isolation and social distancing orders in place, children are home from school and many residents are working or staying at home all day.
Entire families spending more time at home creates both an opportunity to increase the level of fire safety in the home, as well as the potential for experiencing additional challenges.
The Charlottetown Fire Department is providing some key fire prevention reminders to residents as they continue to follow directives given from the Provincial Health Office throughout this coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) pandemic.
Being at home for greater periods of time inevitably leads to increased use of cooking and heating appliances. Unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of kitchen fires at nearly 50 per cent, according to national statistics.
The public is reminded to always stay in the kitchen when cooking, frying, grilling, broiling and boiling food. Unattended cooking fires can occur when people are distracted or step away from the task. When leaving the kitchen, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove or cooking appliance.
Keep all combustibles such as clothing, dish towels, paper towels or anything else that could easily ignite away from the stove or any other cooking appliance and make sure all appliances and equipment are in good working order.
Working smoke alarms provide an early warning to allow occupants to escape a fire and are proven to save lives. Smoke alarms should be on every level of the home and in all sleeping rooms. Test all smoke alarms once a month, change the batteries at least twice a year and replace smoke alarms every 10 years.
The Charlottetown Fire Department encourages families to take a moment today to test their smoke alarms and involve the entire family to carry out this simple yet life-saving task.
This is also a great opportunity to involve the entire family in preparing or reviewing fire safety plans, which should, at a minimum, include:
- checking smoke alarms,
- ensuring there are two clear means of escape from all rooms,
- making sure bedroom windows are able to open,
- ensuring proper clearance is maintained around all heating equipment
- a fire escape plan including a meeting place safely away from the home is accessible to all members of the household.
Those living in apartments should make sure to identify where fire alarm pull stations are located and that all fire doors are kept closed. Never wedge or otherwise hold open fire doors as they are designed to stop the spread of smoke and fire and aid in providing a safe means of escape in the event of a fire.
Any time a fire is discovered in a building or home or a smoke alarm sounds, the Charlottetown Fire Department stresses that occupants should always get out of the structure immediately and stay out of the structure until it is cleared by fire officials.
For more fire safety tips, visit Charlottetown.ca/fire.
For activities, games and videos to entertain the family and increase fire safety awareness, visit Sparky.org.
