 There are 70,000 fires each year in Canada  Preventing fires will lessen the chance of injury or death  Knowing what to do in case of fire can save you from injury or death  Smoke detectors save lives

 Every year, fire kills more than 400 people  More than 3000 people are injured by fires every year  Most fires occur in the home at night while people are sleeping  Fires cause more than $1 Billion in damage each year

 Many people believe that the smell of smoke will wake them from sleep… NOT TRUE!  Gases and smoke from a fire can cause you to pass out

 When smoke is present, smoke detectors sound an alarm to warn people – this warning allows people time to escape  Smoke detectors can reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by nearly 50%

 Smoke detectors SHOULD be placed: › Outside bedroom doors › On every level of a home › In the basement  Detectors may also be placed in: › Dining Rooms › Furnace/Utility Rooms › Hallways

 Detectors SHOULD NOT be placed in: › Kitchens › Bathrooms › Garages › Cool/Cold Places  Dampness, temperature changes, cooking fumes, steam and exhaust fumes can affect the operation and reliability of smoke detectors

 Smoke rises – they should be placed high on walls or on the ceiling  Ceiling mounted detectors should be placed at least 10 cm from the wall  In a stairway with no door at the top or bottom, the detector should be placed along the path of the smoke as it moves up the stairs  Stairways with doors at the bottom should have detectors at the bottom of the stairway

 Do not place smoke detectors close to windows, doors or heating vents – air flow can stop the detector from working properly

 Smoke detectors can operate with batteries and/or electricity  Electric smoke detectors can be plug-in types or may be hardwired into a building’s electrical system  Hardwired detectors must be installed by trained electricians – never connect to an electric circuit that can be turned off by a wall switch

 All electric smoke detectors MUST have a battery back- up – this allows the detector to work even when there is a power outage

 Check all smoke detectors (battery and electric) EVERY MONTH  Put a new battery in the detector at least TWICE A YEAR › Good idea – replace batteries when you change your clocks in fall and spring  Keep a record of when batteries are replaced  False alarms – move the smoke detector to a new location

 Light a candle and blow it out under the smoke detector  Press the test button to be sure the alarm is functioning  Use a vacuum to clean the smoke detector regularly (do NOT remove the cover while vacuuming)

 These systems are typically used in factories, hotels and other public buildings – they are used in some homes  A sprinkler system can cover any floor area – sprinklers open when exposed to heat  Some systems open only the sprinklers closest to the fire – some open all sprinklers in the entire building

 If sprinkler systems were placed in homes, 60-70% of people who die in home fires might be saved  Sprinkler systems act in the early stages of fire – they cut down heat, flames and smoke  Property losses and insurance costs are reduced when sprinkler systems are used

 Video reflection sheets must be turned in at the end of class