Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape
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Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service shares safety tips during
Fire Prevention Week
Today is the first
day of Fire Prevention Week, which runs until Saturday, Oct. 15. This year
marks the 100th anniversary of the week and the theme for 2022 is “Fire won’t
wait. Plan your escape.” Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service is taking this
opportunity to educate the community about the importance of having and
practising a fire escape plan so everyone knows what to do in an emergency.
Knowing what to do when an alarm sounds will help keep you and your
family safe. Start by creating an escape plan – it’s easy! Here’s how:
- Draw your home’s floor plan, including all doors, windows and stairs for each level, and note any features that could help you escape, such as a garage or a balcony.
- Mark at least two escape routes from each room so if the door is blocked, you know another way out.
- Make sure everyone in your home knows where to meet outside – a street sign or a mailbox, for example – to call 9-1-1 and wait while the fire department arrives. A meeting place will allow you to count everyone and inform firefighters if anybody is still inside. Never go back into a burning building.
- Practise your escape plan at least twice a year with all the members in your household and share it with anyone new who comes to stay at the home.
In addition to creating a home escape plan, it is essential to have
working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
Check out the City of Vaughan’s Emergency Preparedness
Guide at vaughan.ca/EmergencyPlanning to learn more
about home escape planning. The guide includes information on creating a
fire escape plan and provides many other safety and emergency planning tips.
Fire Prevention Week is recognized each year during the
week of Oct. 9 by the National Fire Prevention Association. Fire departments
across North America observe Fire Prevention Week to commemorate the Great
Chicago Fire in 1871 and the devastation it caused.
For more fire prevention tips, resources and educational videos, visit
the City’s Fire Prevention Week webpage.
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