Fire Prevention

FIRE SAFETY TIPS

Have you planned and practiced how to escape your home in the event of a fire? Here are some recommendations:

Draw a map of each level of your home, showing all doors and windows.
Identify two ways to get out of each room (like a door or a window). Go to each room and point them out to make sure all family members know.
Make sure someone will help children, older adults, and people with disabilities wake up and get out.
Teach children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them.
Establish a meeting place outside and away from the home where everyone can meet after exiting.
Have properly installed and maintained smoke alarms and CO alarms.
Practice what to do in case there is smoke: Get Low and Go - Get Out Fast!
Practice using different ways out of the house and closing doors behind you as you leave.
Remember to never go back inside for people, pets, or things. Go straight to your outdoor meeting place and call 9-1-1 from a cell phone or neighbours phone.

Resources:

Review the below safety tips to see how you can be more fire safe!

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is know as "The Silent Killer" because you can't smell it, see it or taste it, but it can harm or kill you. Most people have heard of carbon monoxide, but might not understand where it comes from, how it's produced, its physical symptoms, and what precautions can be taken to ensure it doesn't endanger you.

Only working CO alarms give you the warning of the presence of CO you need to keep your family safe.

Installation:

You are required to have a working CO alarm near all sleeping areas in your home.
When choosing a CO alarm, look for the CSA Blue Flame mark and the reference "CSA 6.19-01" - the most up-to-date Canadian standard. This shows that the alarm meets recognized standards for safety.
CO alarms should be installed as per manufacturer's instructions.

Maintenance:

Remember to test your CO alarms once a month by pushing the test button on the unit.
Clean your CO alarms monthly with a gentle, soft bristle vacuum attachment. Test after cleaning.
CO alarm batteries should be replaced in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, at least once a year. If an alarm "chirps" or "beeps" to indicate low batteries, they should be replaced immediately.
Remember that CO alarms wear out over time. Check the manufacturer's instructions to find out when your particular unit should be replaced.

What is CO?

This odorless gas is produced as a byproduct of combustion when common fuel-burning appliances and equipment don't get enough air to burn up completely. When this happens, CO can build up, especially in a confined room or space - and this can lead to toxic effects on humans and pets.

What causes unsafe levels of CO?

Certain fuels can produce unsafe levels of CO gas when they are not completely burned. These fuels include natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, coal, charcoal, and wood.

Incomplete burning of these fuels can happen when:

Appliances using these fuels are not properly installed or maintained.
Venting systems are not properly installed or cleaned.
Chimneys are not properly maintained and cleaned.
Chimneys are blocked by snow, ice or other debris.
Cars are left running in a garage and the exhaust fumes get into your home.
Fuel-burning appliances made for outdoor use are used in a closed space such as a tent, recreational vehicle, cabin, workshop, or garage.
Too much air is being consumed by a fireplace or exhausted through kitchen or bathroom fans in a tightly sealed house.

What are the signs of unsafe levels of CO?

Danger signs of high CO levels include:

Your carbon monoxide alarm goes off.
Flu-like symptoms.
A sharp, powerful odor or smell of gas when your fuel-burning appliance turns on.
Stale or stuffy air.
The pilot light of your fuel-burning appliance goes out.
Chalky, white powder on the chimney or exhaust vent pipes.
Soot build-up around exhaust vents.
Excessive moisture on windows and walls.

What are the symptoms of CO poisoning?

CO poisoning causes flu-like symptoms, including headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, burning eyes, confusion, disorientation, and drowsiness.

CO poisoning makes it difficult for your body to absorb oxygen. In severe cases it can cause brain damage and death. The elderly, children, and people with heart or respiratory issues may feel the effects sooner than others. Even small amounts of CO gas can be dangerous.

What should I do if I think someone has CO poisoning?

Leave your home right away and call 9-1-1 if you or anyone in your family suffers symptoms of CO poisoning or experiences any of the danger signs of unsafe levels of the gas.

You will need to let the 9-1-1 operator know your address, whether or not anyone has flu-like symptoms, and whether or not everyone has exited the home. This will help them send the correct emergency services to your home.

Cooking

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fires in the kitchen.
Scald burns are the second leading cause of all burn injuries. Hot liquids from coffee and even microwaved soup can cause devastating burns.

Recommendations:

Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food.
If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly and stay in the home. Setting a timer can help remind you to check on your food.
If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol don't use the stove or stovetop.
Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 1 metre around the stove and areas where hot foot or drink is prepared or carried.
Keep anything that can catch fire (cooking utensils, dishcloths, paper towels, pot holders, etc.) away from your stovetop.
Avoid loose clothing as it can hang down onto stove burners and catch fire. Wear short, close-fitting, or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.
Always keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it’s cool.
If a fire starts in your oven, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

Resources:

Home Heating

Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires during the winter months.

Never use your oven to heat your home.
Have heating equipment installed by a qualified professional according to local codes and manufacturer's instructions.
Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
Keep combustibles (anything that will burn) at least one metre away from heating equipment.
Install CO alarms and smoke alarms, including at least one close to the bedrooms, to warn you if CO enters your home due to a faulty furnace or boiler.

Home Heating Safety Video

Furnaces & Boilers

Have furnaces and boilers serviced by a qualified professional at least once a year.
If your boiler or furnace needs to be replaced, ensure it's done by a qualified professional according to local codes and manufacturer's instructions.

Wood Stoves, Fireplaces, & Pellet Stoves

Installations need to be WETT-certified (Wood Energy Technology Transfer) for insurances purposes, as well as inspected by the City.
Clean the chimney as often as necessary to prevent creosote buildup.
Have a 1 metre “kid-free zone” around woodstoves/fireplaces/pellet stoves.
Ensure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room.
Ashes from woodstoves/fireplaces/pellet stoves should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home on a non-combustible surface.

Space Heaters & Portable Heaters

Only purchase and use portable space heaters if they are listed by a qualified testing laboratory (ULC or CSA).
Plug the space heater directly into the wall socket. Do not use a power bar or extension cord.
Use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
Keep space heaters at least one metre away from all clothing, furniture, and drapes.
Have a one metre “kid-free zone” around space heaters.
Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

Outdoors

With the hot temperatures in recent years, forest conditions are extremely dry. Make outdoor fire safety a lifestyle choice. Don’t be the cause of a bush fire.

Dispose of smoking material in a non-combustible container. Flicking ashes or butts is extremely hazardous both to homes and wildland.
Within the municipal boundary, no outdoor open air fires are allowed without an approved burning permit or approved fire pit.
Ensure campfires are out before leaving or going to bed.
Burn in approved fire pits only.
Have an extinguishing source close at hand when having a campfire.
Beware of hot engines (quads, motorbikes, etc.) lighting grass or brush on fire when riding off-road.

Do your part to keep Yellowknife and the surrounding area safe. If you see a bush fire or forest fire, report it as soon as possible by calling 9-1-1 or the Forest Fire Hotline (1-877-698-3473).

Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarms detect and alert people to a fire in the early stages. They can mean the difference between life and death in a fire. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half. In general you have 3 minutes to exit your home once the smoke alarm activates before your primary escape routes are blocked by smoke.

Installation:

You should have smoke alarms:
- On every level of your home
- In the hall outside of the bedrooms
- The 2010 code requires smoke alarms in all the bedrooms

All smoke alarms should be hard-wired. Hard-wired smoke alarms should have a battery backup in case of power outage. Smoke alarms that are not hard-wired (battery-operated only) can help give early warning if they are regularly maintained.
If your smoke alarms are interconnected, it means that when one smoke alarm is activated, it will activate all smoke alarms. This is to ensure that if a smoke alarm detects smoke in a remote part of your home, you will hear the smoke alarm activation even when you are sleeping. This is to help give you the needed time to escape.

Maintenance:

Test your smoke alarms once a month (by pushing the test button).
Change the battery once a year (or when it chirps).
Change out your smoke alarms at the end of their service life (10 years). This is very important as the older the smoke alarm, the longer they take to activate.

Smoke Alarms Video