October is Fire Safety Month

Being prepared is the first line of defense in fire prevention. The fire safety team at Canadian Tire has put together a home and fire safety checklist to help keep your family safe this fall and winter season.

Home Safety Checklist Smoke Alarms

• Is there a smoke alarm on every level of the house?

• Does your smoke detector include both a photoelectric alarm for smoldering, slow-burning fires and an ionization alarm for fast-flaming fires?

• Have the smoke alarms been tested once a month to ensure they are in good working condition?

• Have alarms that are more than 10 years old been replaced?

• Have the batteries been changed recently?

Fire Extinguishers

• Is there an extinguisher on every level of the home?

• Do you have extinguishers in rooms like the kitchen and garage?

• Do the gauges on all of your extinguishers indicate they are fully charged?

• Does everyone in the house know how to use the extinguisher?

P - Pull the pin on the fire extinguisher
A - Aim the extinguisher
S - Squeeze the trigger of the extinguisher
S - Sweep the extinguisher left to right to cover the base of the fire

* Make sure your unit is fully charged by regularly checking the gauge

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detectors

• Is there a CO detector on every level of the home and outside the bedrooms?

• Have the batteries on the detectors been changed recently?

. Have the fuel burning appliances and equipment within your home been checked within the last year by a qualified service technician?

• Are fuel burning appliances properly vented?

• Are chimneys and vents clean and in good working condition?

• Have alarms that are more than 7 years old been replaced?

Fire Escape Route

• Has the family created a fire escape route?

• Does the plan include two ways out of every room in the home?

• Does your home have a Fire Escape Ladder?

• Have members of the family reviewed and practiced the escape route within the last year?

• Do family members know how to unlock the doors and windows quickly, even in the dark?

Replace the batteries in your smoke alarm and CO alarm every year. An easy reminder, replace your batteries when you turn back the clocks for daylight savings.

- News Canada