“You never know where the fire will be, ” That’s the message delivered to a group of students at Evergreen Park School today by New Brunswick’s Fire Marshall.
It’s Fire Prevention Week, and Douglas Browne says the theme this year is Every Second Counts, Plan 2 ways out, “So if you are exiting through a hallway or down a stairwell, there may be a fire in that location, so you have to be able to back track and go out another means in your home.”
While developing and practicing a home-escape plan, people are reminded to:
-Draw a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits for each room and a path to the outside from each exit.
-Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home and practice using different ways out.
-Teach children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them
-Make sure the number of your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find
-Close doors behind you as you leave. This may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire
-Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.
He also stressed the need for a working smoke detector, “In new homes, it is mandatory for smoke detectors to be in every bedroom. In older homes, it is mandatory for smoke alarms to have one on every floor. But we strongly recommend one in every bedroom.”
Carbon monoxide detectors are also required in homes with propane, natural gas oil, wood stoves or an attached garage.
Browne says educating the youth, helps to bring that message home to the parents, so families can work together to come up with an escape plan.
There are activities going on around Greater Moncton this week in support of Fire Prevention.
Moncton Fire will hold an open House at their Hildegard Street station on October 14th, from 10 until 2.
Riverview Fire & Rescue will host an open house on Saturday, October 14, 2017 during Fire Prevention Week, at the Riverview Fire Station on Pinewood Road, from 8 until 2
Dieppe Fire will hold an open house on October 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the station located at 500 Gauvin Road.
All open houses will include fire station tours, demonstrations by firefighters, barbecue and lots of other activities for the kids.
