"Fire Won't Wait; Plan Your Escape."
This is the theme of National Fire Prevention Week which is on until Saturday, October 15th. Dauphin's Fire Chief, Cam Abrey, says knowing your escape route is a crucial part of fire safety.
"It's a huge component of fire prevention and public education. Because we know that today's fires burn a lot hotter than they did years ago and they spread much faster based on the products that we put in our homes", noted Abrey.
Just like how children go through escape plans and emergency procedures at school, we should be making the same plans at home, added Abrey.
Some of the things you can do at home is make sure you have working windows in your bedrooms and that you know two ways out. If a fire breaks out in the middle of the night and you can not use the door, the window(s) would be your alternate escape route. If you have bedrooms on the second floor, there are chain ladders you can buy to provide a safe way out.
"The biggest part is to make sure your smoke alarms are working so that you have that early notification", Abrey said.
This year's National Fire Prevention Week is the 100th anniversary of the initiative but the messages of fire safety are just as important as they were a century ago. In a news release from the provincial government, some more helpful tips were outlined:
- Make sure plans meet the needs of all family members including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
- Smoke alarms should be installed in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected, so that when one sounds, all alarms are activated.
- Know at least two ways to exit every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows open easily.
- Have an outside meeting place, located a safe distance from the home, where everyone should meet after exiting the home and have a warm place to go in cold weather.
Practise the home fire escape plan at least twice a year with everyone in the household including guests. Practise at least once during the day and at night.
For more information, visit manitoba.ca/firepreventionweek or the National Fire Protection Association's website.
