The Easy Fire Prevention Steps That Everyone Should Take
Every year throughout Eastern Ontario, there are a number of tragic and devastating house fires. One of the most upsetting parts of this is that many fires can be prevented with basic fire prevention awareness and simple steps that homeowners can take. And if a fire does occur, the damage can potentially be minimized with a little bit of preparation. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, 73% of all fire-related deaths in this country are a result of home fires. With that in mind, here are some of the most important, easy preparations you can make to minimize the risk posed to you and your family from a catastrophic fire. 
Take a few minutes to…
… Properly Maintain and Regularly Test Smoke Alarms. This is such a simple thing, and smoke alarms are the best protection for people in case of a house fire. Need a refresher? See this information on checking, testing and cleaning smoke alarms.
… Come Up with an Emergency Exit Plan. As with having a working smoke alarm, creating or reviewing an emergency exit plan takes very little time, and can keep you safe during a worst-case-scenario.
… Put together a disaster safety kit. The Insurance Bureau of Canada recommends that you assemble and maintain a safety kit.
In Your Day to Day Life…
… Use Caution with Appliances (Like an Iron) and Decorative Items (Like Candles). Anything that generates heat within the home should never be left to run unsupervised.
…Take Care In the Kitchen. Be extra careful when frying or deep frying foods using oil. Obviously, don’t leave food unattended on the stove, and don’t let the oven run while out of sight.
…Always Use Proper Light Bulbs. Using bulbs with a higher wattage than indicated on the light fixture can potentially be dangerous. Take notice of what is recommended and never exceed that.
Take Care Around the House…
…Make sure that flammable materials are stored properly. If you’re the type of person that likes to work around the outside of the house, make sure you store those materials safely. The Insurance Bureau of Canada recommends that you “
keep gasoline, solvents, waste and other materials that could ignite at a distance of least 10 meters from your home.”
… Get dry leaves and debris away from the house. Keep any potentially flammable waste or garbage away from the exterior of the house.
…Have a chimney? Regularly inspect and clean the flue.Preparing for the Worst…
…Review (and adjust, if needed) your home insurance policy with your broker. Make sure you are aware of what your home insurance policy covers in case of a fire. Maybe you have had some work done on the house, such as kitchen upgrades or finishing of the basement, or have a new member of the family living with you. Anything like that could affect your home insurance policy, so it’s never a bad idea to review your policy regularly. Thanks for reading, The ONA Team.
