Fire prevention week: your responsibility!

As part of this prevention campaign, the Quebec government reminds us that 50% of fires that occur in homes are linked to distraction or human error. In fact, 1 in 4 fires starts in the kitchen. In order to raise awareness among the population, certain behaviors should be adopted.

For example, it is recommended to use a timer to remind you of cooking times. Make sure your oven is turned off when you leave the room. Do not leave any object on the stove at all times. If possible, avoid leaving the room to intervene with children. If another adult is present, have them take care of the children while you cook. Also, when using the stove and barbecue to prepare the same meal, do so in turn and not using both devices at the same time.

Otherwise, delegate the use of the barbecue to someone else.

Prepare an evacuation plan

It is recommended that you have an evacuation plan that allows you to leave the area in less than 3 minutes. Your evacuation plan should include:

• emergency exits (main door, windows, patio door);
• 2 routes per room to get to the emergency exits;
• the assembly point, located outside and accessible in all seasons;
• the location of smoke, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and portable fire extinguishers.

Also, think about a possible fire scenario. Choose the date and time of your fire drill and the fictitious location in the house where the fire would start.

Check that your smoke alarms are working properly before you practice your fire drill. If they are connected to a central monitoring station, inform your provider first before setting them off. Conduct a fire drill at least once a year, with everyone living under your roof, by following these steps:

• sound the smoke alarm;
• activate a timer to know the time of your evacuation;
• Evacuate your house, according to your evacuation plan, trying to do it in less than 3 minutes;
• once outside, go to the assembly point;
• assess the drill and make changes to improve yourself.