CENTRE WELLINGTON – Deputy fire chief Jason Benn with the Centre Wellington Fire Rescue offered a few tips for fire prevention that everyone should know.
This year’s fire prevention campaign theme is “Smoke alarms: make them work for you.” The campaign aims to educate everyone about the importance of having working smoke alarms in homes.
“We’re still finding homes without those important devices to give early warnings,” Benn told the Advertiser.
He explained that although most people have a “good understanding” of where to buy smoke alarms, “It does come down to funds.”
An estimated 18 per cent of one- and two-family houses do not have smoke alarms, according to the Government of Canada.
“Sometimes it can be a struggle for some families, which we totally understand and respect, however they are required by law,” Benn noted.
Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of a home, including the basement, state National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) officials.
Fire detectors should also be installed inside of every bedroom and outside of each sleeping area.
The alarms detect fires by sensing small particles in the air, above a certain level, and alert those in the home they must get out safely and call 911.
“When you receive the detection from those devices you want to know how to get out and if you practice it, you should all escape in a timely fashion and everybody will be safe on the outside waiting for the fire department to arrive,” stated Benn.
Practicing an escape plan on a regular basis is one of Benn’s key tips to surviving a fire.
Making a home fire safety plan begins with inspecting all possible exits and escape routes in one’s home, according to NFPA.
Drawing a floor plan of the home can be beneficial for households with children.
Choosing an outside meeting place and staying there is crucial, added Benn.
“The mistake itself would be to go back into the building, sometimes … somebody will go back into the home to retrieve unfortunately an animal or a belonging of some sort,” he said.
“Then they get trapped in it (the home) and unfortunately perish in the fire.”
Though it doesn’t happen often, “It has happened and it’s very unfortunate when somebody’s life is taken or they are severely injured because of … a quick decision that they made to reenter the building,” Benn told the Advertiser.
Under no circumstances should anyone go back into a burning building; if someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher as firefighters have the skills and equipment to preform rescues, stated NFPA officials.
“We’re always going to have fires, but I do feel that people have a good strong hold on how to control that and mitigate and prevent them,” added Benn.
The deputy fire chief also shared how fires are “substantially” down in Centre Wellington.
Those wanting to find more information, tips and resources for fire safety and prevention can visit the NFPA website at nfpa.org or Ontario.ca/fireprevention.
“The biggest tip that I could possibly give to help with the preparation of fire is the pie as I call it; if you have those pieces of pie you should be able to escape and survive a fire,” stated Benn.
“Have those important alarms installed in the home … have that escape plan so everybody in your family knows how to get out safely and where to go and the third one is to stay out.”
