Fire Safety Tips

This is the second of a two-part series on fire prevention. Read part 1 Protecting your family and home from fire.

SGI CANADA recommends discussing fire safety with your family as you can reduce the risk of fire with smart, simple safety tips such as…

• Never smoke in bed or in a place where you may fall asleep.
• Never leave a candle burning unattended.
• Have a fire extinguisher in your home for small fires and learn how to use it properly.
• Install a "kid-free zone" rule of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared.
• Stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking as many kitchen fires are caused by inattention.
• Remember to never use water on a grease fire. This will cause the hot grease to splatter, which could burn you or allow the fire to spread. Smother the flames with a lid or another pan, and then turn off the burner.
• Keep a portable fire escape ladder upstairs.
• Store matches and lighters in a safe place that’s out of the reach of children.
• Never run electrical cords under rugs or heavy furniture.
• Inspect your home for fire hazards, such as overloaded electrical circuits, or light bulbs with greater wattage than a light fixture is rated.
• Keep any combustible items away from all portable space heaters, water heaters, furnaces or other heat sources.
• Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids in your home or basement.
• Store flammable liquids in approved containers designed to store such liquids and keep them in a locked, detached shed.
• If you operate a wood-burning appliance or fireplace, educate your family on its safe operation and maintenance as well as how to burn wood safely.
• Have your wood burning appliance and chimney inspected by a qualified technician.