The first line of defence is a proactive approach to avoiding fire in the first place. To that end we offer these fire safety tips to safeguard your family.

Home Safety Tips – Fire Safety

1. Prevent fires caused by children:
Every year, young children are badly burned or die playing with lighters and matches. Always store lighters and matches in a locked drawer or cabinet. Avoid leaving lighters or matches in your jacket or purse as statistics show that those are locations known to children.

2. Prevent fires caused by smoking:
Cigarettes are a major cause of house fires and fire death. Avoid smoking in your home and never smoke in bed. Use large, deep ashtrays on a sturdy surface and make sure cigarette butts are extinguished.

3. Prevent fires caused by candles:
Always use solid, stable, candle holders. Avoid leaving the room when using candles and never allow children near candles without direct supervision. Keep candles away from window treatments and blowing curtains at all times.

4. Meet with your family and make a fire escape plan:
Map out two exits out of every room and arrange a meeting place outside. Practice makes perfect — conduct a family fire drill several times a year to make sure everyone remembers the plan.

5. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home:
Smoke alarms are designed to do one thing — wake you or alert you to a potential fire in your home. Smoke detectors should be placed at the top of each set of stairs and near bedrooms. Test them monthly to make sure they work and put in new batteries every year or more frequently as required. Better yet, install a monitored smoke alarm that will automatically transmit a fire condition from your home.

6. Prevent Fires Caused by Cooking:
Stay in the kitchen while cooking and monitor stove-top pots and pans, especially if you are cooking with gas. Be aware of the proximity of objects placed too close to the stove. Paper or plastic bags, oven mitts and blowing curtains all pose a substantial threat. Loose-fitting clothes can also be dangerous. Be aware of anything with flammable characteristics placed close to flame or hot elements.

7. Fire Extinguishers:
Ensure your home is equipped with the proper fire extinguishers and have them checked every year. Keep a small fire extinguisher in your vehicle as well.

Home Safety Tips – Security

1. Attempt to "burglarize" yourself:
Attempt to break-in to your own home so you can discover any weaknesses in your security system. Use the feedback to improve your security and safeguard your property and family. Please remember to advise your monitoring station before testing your security system to avoid false dispatches

2. Always lock your door:
Always lock your door, even if you only go out for a few minutes. Brazen burglars only need few seconds to grab valuables left in plain sight.

3. Look at-home:
Plan to make your house appeared occupied at all times. Timers on lights, radios and televisions left on and cars in the driveway all help to show that someone might be home and the risk is too great.

4. Inform your neighbour:
Let a trusted neighbour know that you will be away and ask them to respond immediately if they hear an alarm or witness suspicious activity. Find out if your community is a part of a Neighbourhood Watch program and get involved.

5. Avoid the obvious:
Notes from people or family members on your door. Notes are an obvious sign that you are away and a welcome invitation to thieves. Ensure someone picks up your newspapers from the end of your driveway or have delivery cancelled while you are away

7. Identify and verify:
Ask for credentials from any sales-person who knocks on your door. Request to see their identification and if you're suspicious, call the person's office to confirm their identity before you open the door.

8. Don’t open the door for strangers — ever:
If someone comes to your door asking to use your phone, make the call for him or her and keep the door secured. Better yet, install an intercom or video system to communicate with someone without opening your door