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Fire Prevention week safety tips

Oct. 5, 2018
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Waterloo Fire Rescue urges everyone to look, listen and learn about fire safety during this year’s Fire Prevention Week, which runs from Oct. 7 – 13, 2018. This year’s theme is ‘Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.’

The theme focuses on three fundamental actions people can take to be fire-safe:

  1. Look for potential fire hazards around your home. Take action to prevent fire from starting:
    • Always stay in the kitchen while cooking. If you must leave, turn off the stove.
    • Encourage smokers to smoke outside. Always extinguish cigarettes in large, deep ashtrays that cannot be knocked over.
    • Check electrical cords for damage such as fraying or nicks. A damaged cord can expose wires and result in a potential shock or fire hazard.
  2. Listen for the smoke alarms in an emergency. Make sure everyone knows the sound of the smoke alarms and can hear them in an emergency. Early detection of fire provided by smoke alarms gives you the extra seconds you need to get out safely. 
  3. Learn two ways out of every room. Practice a home fire escape plan with everyone in your home before a fire starts so you and your family can get out quickly.
"Prevention is always the best course of action. Identify potential fire hazards in your home and take action to make sure a fire doesn’t start."

“Everyone has a responsibility to protect their family and home from fire. Prevention is always the best course of action. Identify potential fire hazards in your home and take action to make sure a fire doesn’t start,” says public education officer John Percy. “Only working smoke alarms give you the early notification of fire and the time you and your family need to safely escape. Many fatal fires occur at night when everyone is asleep, so early warning is crucial to survival,” adds Percy.

Waterloo Fire Rescue firefighters and staff will be at the following locations educating residents about Fire Prevention Week:

  • Lowe’s: The Boardwalk, Saturday. Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  • Home Depot: King Street North, Saturday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

For more information about fire and life safety, please visit the Waterloo Fire Rescue website at waterloo.ca/fire or our Twitter page @Waterloo_Fire.