COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL FIRE SAFETY
Fire safety practices and emergency planning are important in properties where processes or quantities of stored materials could pose a serious threat to the community and environment in the event of an emergency.
The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall has created guidelines intended to assist owners, managers and staff of various facilities to develop and implement effective Fire Safety Plans.
Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal
HOME FIRE SAFETY
Did you know that most fatal house fires occur during the night, giving people little time to react? Be prepared and be safe!
Causes of Fires
Common causes of fires at home include:
- Careless smoking
- Improperly installed or improperly maintained wood stoves
- Faulty wiring
- Careless use of cooking equipment
- Careless use of flammable liquids
Preventing Fires at Home
- Install smoke alarms
- Have a home escape plan
- Install fire extinguishers
What to do if a Fire Occurs in your Home
- Stay low since smoke rises, leaving air at floor level
- Do not open doors or windows that indicate signs of heat or smoke seepage
- If your clothing catches on fire: stop, drop and roll
- Once you are safe, call 9-1-1 from the nearest phone
- Do not re-enter the building
Facts about Fire Safety
Fires can double in size approximately every 30 - 60 seconds (a $20,000 kitchen fire can become a $160,000 house fire in less than three minutes
In eight minutes a fire can grow by 64 times
Progression of a structural fire to the point of "flashover" (the very rapid spreading of the fire due to super heating of the room contents and other combustibles) generally occurs in seven to 10 minutes
For medical aid calls, basic life support should be initiated within four minutes
Reducing rescue time by only two to three minutes could increases the chances of survival by eight times
A minimum acceptable staffing level consists of four fire fighters on the first responding pumper
Fire fighting has been and always will be labour intensive. Reducing firefighters equates to reducing levels of service, which equates to a lower level of safety
As response times increase, public safety decreases
Home Fire Escape Plan
