Fire & CO2 Home Safety Tips

Home Safety Tips

Personal safety for you and your family begins in your home. Statistics prove this.
Far too many fire fatalities occur in the home — most at night when people are asleep and where there are no working smoke alarms. The law in Ontario is that homes have one smoke alarm on every level of their home and it is recommended that there be one installed outside all sleeping areas.

Having a smoke alarm is not enough. It must be a working alarm. Test your smoke alarms regularly and remember to change their batteries at least once a year. Since we change our clocks each Spring and Fall, these are good opportunities to change the batteries in your smoke alarms.

Smoke alarms should be installed on the ceiling away from bathrooms, windows, ceiling fans and heating appliances. Make sure everyone knows the sound of the alarm and what to do if a fire occurs.

Fires can be terrifying and cause confusion, especially for children. Make sure everyone has two escape routes out of the house and you have a pre-arranged meeting place outside the home. Practice your escape plans by conducting a fire drill – it could save your life.

Another hazard in the home is carbon monoxide (CO), a colourless, odourless and deadly gas. CO is a by-product of appliances such as furnaces, water heaters and fireplaces that run on flammable fuels like gas or oil. CO poisoning can be difficult to detect since its symptoms are similar to diseases such as the flu. Symptoms of low CO levels could be a slight headache and/or shortage of breath. Higher concentrations will make victims experience severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, mental confusion, weakness, drowsiness or fainting. At extreme levels of CO poisoning, individuals can experience unconsciousness, brain damage or even death.

A CO detector placed near the home’s heating source adds an extra measure of safety. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning in your home, open all doors and windows, leave the house immediately and call your fuel supplier or a licensed heating contractor for an emergency inspection.

For more information contact your local fire department or Fire Prevention Officer.

For an affordable quote and professional advice for your Home insurance, visit us at www.blueskyfinancialgroup.com

The articles which appear in this publication represent the opinions of the authors and do not represent or embody any official position of, or statement by IBAO or Blue Sky Financial Group; nor do they attempt to set forth definitive action standards or to provide legal advice.