How to Protect your Family in Case of a Fire

How to Protect your Family in Case of a Fire

Unfortunately, since winter is coming, fires are more frequent. And human error is often involved. Sometimes, simple actions are enough to avoid the worst. Do you know which ones?

Every day in Canada, hundreds of homes and buildings are consumed by fire. In fact, there is a fire every minute! While only the objects are damaged most of the time, it also happens that people are injured or worse, do not survive. Here are some tips that could save your life and that of your family.

1- Cooking appliances

According to the Ministère de la Sécurité publique du Québec, in 2014, nearly 25% of residential fires were caused by cooking appliances. Often, it is the inflammation of the oil or grease that is responsible. What can be done to prevent this?

  • Use a timer to remember that food is cooking.
  • Do not wear loose clothing (especially loose sleeves) that could catch fire when in contact with hot elements.
  • Do not leave the house when the oven is in use.
  • The oven should be free of food residue.
  • Position the handles of pots and pans inwards (to prevent children's hands from grabbing them or being caught by an adult as they pass).
  • If there is a fire in a container, use the lid to smother it (not water). And above all, do not open the stove hood: flames could infiltrate it and spread the fire.

2- Christmas decoration

If the holiday season is a time for celebration, it is also a time for accidental fires. The reason is simple: Christmas decoration can be problematic. What to do?

  • Buy an artificial tree instead of a natural one.
  • If you choose a natural tree, choose a freshly cut specimen and compost it two weeks after purchase. Otherwise, the dryness of its trunk and thorns could cause a fire.
  • Check the condition of light strings and extension cords before installing them. Are the wires damaged? What about light bulbs? If they don’t appear safe, do not use them.
  • Turn off all lights when you are not at home.

3- Smokers' articles

In Quebec, 30% of fires are reported to be caused by smokers' articles (cigarettes or cannabis). Often, it is not the burns that kill people, but rather the smoke caused by the fire that poison them without their knowledge. Caution should therefore be exercised. Let us remind you of some good habits to adopt:

  • Do not smoke in a situation conducive to falling asleep (lying in a bed or lying on a couch).
  • Extinguish the cigarette or gasket under water before putting it in the garbage.
  • Do not throw the ashes into the small household bins, but use an ashtray to empty into the outer bin.
  • Use deep ashtrays and do not leave cigarettes or smoking gaskets unattended.
  • Matches and lighters should never be accessible to children (the kitchen tote drawer is not a good hiding place!).

4- The dryer

Surprisingly, the dryer appears on the list of the most frequent causes of fire. Fortunately, it is easy to avoid risks:

  • Never leave it running if there is no one at home.
  • Each time you use it, remove the foam accumulated in the tank (filter).
  • Wash the filter once a year. Even if it appears to be in perfect condition, these cavities can be blocked.
  • It is best to have the appliance connected by a professional.

5- Candles

Usually, the fire generated by a candle occurs when it is unattended in a room. But there are other gestures that can help to avoid tragedies:

  • During power outages, keep the candle away from your body when you walk.
  • Avoid buying loaded candles, such as those wrapped in coloured paper or decorated with trifles. It never goes well with flames!
  • If the candle stem is less than 5 cm, discard it.
  • Forget candle holders that are not robust or do not balance perfectly.
  • Do not leave any candles in an unattended room (watch out for animals or curious children!)
  • Never place them near fabrics or flammable materials such as curtains or magazines.

Our last advice is to have functional smoke detectors on all floors of the house and to change their batteries every year. No one is immune to mistakes!

RE/MAX Québec

By RE/MAX Québec

By RE/MAX Québec

A leader in the real estate industry since 1982, the RE/MAX network brings together the most efficient brokers.