Ontario Community Newspapers

Canadian Statesman (Bowmanville, ON), 5 Oct 1983, p. 31

The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

\ \ i The misuse of electricity in Ontario causes over 3,000 fires each year, about one-seventh of the total number. FUSES Fuses are the safety valves in your electrical circuits, preventing wires from overheating and thus possibly causing fire. Fuses greater than 15 amperes should never be used in ordinary lighting lighting and receptacle circuits, as the wires in these circuits can safely carry only 15 amperes. If fuses keep blowing, then the circuit is overloaded, defective or has a defective unit plugged into it and must be checked by a qualified electrician. When an ordinary fuse in a motor circuit blows during start up, it should be replaced by a time- delay fuse which will allow the passage of the high starting current. Check for: [ | Fuses with a rating greater than 15 amperes. | | Fuses replaced with pennies, washers or metal foil. FLEXIBLE CORDS Flexible cords must not be used as a substitute for permanent wiring, i.e. to make permanent extensions extensions to circuits! These cords do not have the capacity to carry as much current as permanent wiring without becoming dangerously overheated. They are also continually exposed to strain or insulation damage. Check all flexible cords for: | | Bare or badly deteriorated condition. | | Cords running under rugs. □ Cords nailed to baseboards, doors or window frames. | | Cords run through partitions, walls and floors. □ Cords permanently connected to permanent wiring by splices or joints. □ Cords with splices -- splices in flexible cords are not permitted by Ontario Hydro. When replacing (he cord set operating an appliance appliance which has a heating element such as a kettle, toaster, rangette, iron or room heater, purchase the set made by the manufacturer of the appliance. The attachment cord for such an appliance is a special heater cord, designated as HPN. FIXTURES AND APPLIANCES All fixtures and appliances must be approved by the Canadian Standards Association or Ontario Hydro. If you ever receive an electrical shock from any appliance, have it checked immediately immediately by a qualified electrician. Check for: | | Home-made or unapproved fixtures and appliances. □ Loose or improperly made joints and connections -- these may cause overheating and fire. □ Deteriorated wiring or insulation in fixtures -- usually caused by heat. □ Wattage of light bulbs too high for fixtures -- causing overheating. □ Fixtures and appliances containing bare wires, broken sockets and fittings, or defective insulation. | | Light bulb sockets used to operate appliances. p | Damaged or spliced appliance cords. | | Appliance plugs which heat up in use. PERMANENT WIRING All additions or alterations to permanent wiring must be inspected by Ontario Hydro. Check for: Loose joints or connections inside metal boxes. All joints must be soldered or mechanically tight, or they may produce excessive heat. □ Sparking from switches or receptacles, or receptacles receptacles which heat up in use. □ Objects hung on open wiring, or wiring hung on nails or other bare metal objects. □ Flexible cords permanently connected to circuit wiring by splices or joints. □ Metal switches or receptacles with metal cover plates, and metal lampholders or light fixtures which are not grounded and are within reach in kitchen, basement, bathroom, utility room and garage. Receptacles in the above areas which are not of the three-hole type, i.e. which will not accommodate plugs with grounding pins. □ Interference on radio or television receivers -- this may be caused by poor electrical connections in your wiring system. Overheating switches and receptacles. If connected connected to aluminum wiring, be sure they are replaced replaced with devices marked "CO/ALR". □ -^1 THE BEST KIND OF FIRE PREVENTION IS THE "DO IT YOURSELF KIND" Take a half hour and walk through your property and LOOK! * Look lor frayed electric cords and overloaded circuits. ' Check your chimney and heating plant. * Give up smoking in bod NOW! * Homo Dry Cleaning is an invitation to lire. * That innocent polish soaked dust cloth could cost you your lilo. ' Instruct your children what to do and whore to go in Case ol Flro. ' Display your Firo Department number In a size oven a child could road -- near your telephone. &el/eu'-2$aj<e' ^Sùrulect « sam a*** Bowmanville INSURANCE BROKERS 181 Church St. 623-6100 GET OUT SAFELY - MOST FIRE DEATHS HAPPEN IN THE HOME When fire strikes, get out and stay out. Raise the alarm - When you detect fire or smoke, shout to warn the other occupants. Children and older people will need help. Don't wait to get dressed. Have a neighbour call the Fire Department after all are out. Never waste time trying to extinguish anything other than a small fire. A hot door is a warning. Never open a door without first checking it for heat with your hand. If it is warm, leave it closed and go to a window or a balcony for rescue. Place bedding at door cracks to keep smoke out. Heat and deadly gases are the main killers. Even a small fire is dangerous. The open interior stairs in a single family home may become a chimney allowing heat and smoke to rise to the highest floor level. If you cannot leave an upper room by a window, close the door and wait by the open window for rescue. Tell the firefighters if anyone remains in the building. Leave rescue operations to them unless you can safely help anyone out a window or down from a roof before help arrives. Never Go Back into a burning building for any reason whatsoever. Many lives are lost through the deadly effects of fumes, even from small fires. Never risk a life in an attempt to save personal possessions. Remember - An hour of pre-planning may save years of life. Make regular fire drills a family affair. - A smoke alarm on each level of your house will provide early warning of fire. Check its operation monthly. - Hot gases rise. The cleanest, coolest air is near the floor. Get down on hands and knees if need be to reach the exit: - To break a window use a chair, drawer or other heavy object, shielding the face against glass splinters. - Remove jagged pieces from the frame and drape a blanket, rug or curtain over the window frame to prevent cuts, while climbing out. - A closed door provides some protection against fire and fumes. Keep basement or utility room doors closed at all times and close all doors at bedtime. Try and close doors when leaving a fire scene. This will help to confine the fire. - Keep the Fire Department number near your phone. If you phone in an alarm, give your address first, lot and concession in rural areas, in case your call is interrupted. - Check your home for fire hazards and eliminate them as you find them. Your Fire Department will be glad to advise you on any question of Fire Safety for your home. - Wherever you are, at home or away, always be on guard against fire. Jim Aldridge, Fire Chief Section Two The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, October 5,1983 13 Seven out of 10 fires occur in the home. Check the rooms of your home today. Make them safe for your family. DO IT NOW! KITCHEN Remove pans of cooking fats and oils from the stove when not in use - it is easy to turn on the wrong burner. Unplug kettles, fry pans and other appliances when not in use. Do not hang wearing apparel above the stove to dry -they may fall on a burner. Keep matches out of the reach of children. Use only safety matches. Have an approved fire extinguisher extinguisher handy for grease fires. LIVINGROOM Provide fire screens for fireplaces as flying brands or sparks can easily start a fire. Do not use extension cords in place of permanent wiring. Provide sufficient electrical outlets for your needs. Provide deep, substantial ash trays for smokers, and ensure that the contents are placed in a metal container or toilet each evening before retiring. BEDROOM Never smoke in bed. Many people are killed in fires as a result of bedding becoming ignited from a cigarette in the hands of a sleepy person. BASEMENT & ATTIC Remove all unnecessary combustibles from the basement and attic areas. If not removed they will add considerable fuel to a fire and make it easier for one to start. Have a service man check all furnace safety controls, the chimney and flue connections for leaks and clean the furnace at least once a year. Remove flammable liquids from the house. Remove oversized fuses. A 15-ampere fuse is required for regular domestic circuits and, if in doubt, consult a qualified electrician. electrician. Have your wiring checked periodically. PLAN FOR FIRE An hour of planning may save years of life. Make regular fire drills a family affair, a serious game but never scary. Your home should have at least one smoke detector to make sure you wake up in time to escape. Make sure every one knows the two ways out of each bedroom. Beware of stairs as they can become a chimney for smoke, hot gas and fire. Remember, nobody goes back for clothes, toys or pets. A window is usually the alternate exit. Be sure the storms and screens can be removed easily from the inside. If the window leads to a porch or garage roof -fine. If not, then a folding escape ladder can be provided. Adults can gently drop children out of second floor windows by lowering lowering them by their arms.. Don't risk serious injury by jumping in panic from a high window. window. Stay in the room, close the door tightly. Open a window window a little and sit on the floor to get fresh air. Hang out a sheet to show rescuers your location. A hot door is a warning. Never open a door without checking checking it for heat, and look to see if smoke is leaking in around the edges. Keep all doors closed at night, particularly basement, kitchen and bedroom doors. Get a neighbour to call the fire department, or after everyone is evacuated call on a neighbour's phone, or a fire department box. Speak slowly on the phone and give your address. Wait at the fire department box for the arrival of the fire fighters. SMOKE DETECTORS Fire is the third leading cause of accidental death, ranking behind motor vehicle accidents and falls. The fact that the death rate from fire in Canada is the second-highest in the world at 29.7 per million people, stresses the need for everyone to take preventive action and be ready to deal with a fire emergency. Approximately 85% of fire deaths occur in residential property and most deaths are due to smoke inhalation, not bums. Use of Smoke Delectors In most cases, there are only a few minutes between the beginning of combustion and the development of a destructive fire. A smoke detector that sounds an alarm in the earliest stages of combustion will allow enough time 1 to evacuate the house or apartment safely. Fire Service authorities agree that the use of detectors will substantially reduce the fire death toll. However, their use is not a substitute for regular fire hazard inspections, the availability and knowledgeable use of fire extinguishers and pre-planned and practiced escape routes. Types and Selection of Smoke Detectors Basically, two forms of smoke detectors arc available: the photoelectric smoke detector and the ionization chamber smoke detector. The photoelectric smoke detector uses a photoelectric bulb that sends forth a beam of light. The alarm is triggered when smoke particles reflect the light from the beam into a photocell.'This type of detector is best suited to delect smoldering fires (for example: fires started by a burning cigarette left on a mattress or an upholstered chair). The ionization chamber smoke detector contains a small radiation source that produces electrically charged air molecules called ions. These ions allow a small electric current to flow in the chamber. When smoke particles enter the chamber they attach themselves to these ions, reducing the flow of electric current. This change in the current sets off the alami. The ionization chamber detector is best suited for sensing the presence of flaming fires that produce little visible smoke. According to the latest information radio-active material in the ionization chamber is not hazardous. Experts agree that a well designed smoke detector of either type can save lives, no matter how the fire starts. It is essential that any detector purchased has the label of the Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada. This label indicates that the detector has an acceptable level of performance. Installation of Smoke Detectors For minimum protection, detectors must separate the living areas from the sleeping areas. In multi-storied homes, detectors must be located on the ceilings of stairwells to separate the floor levels. Additional protection is afforded by installing detectors in all rooms. Smoke detectors should be located on or near the ceiling, away from doors and other obstructions. If the ceiling is below an uninsulated attic or in a mobile home, the detector should be placed on the wall 15-30 cm below the ceiling. About 60 percent of all fatal household fires occur between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., when occupants are asleep. It is therefore important to locate the detector between the sleeping area and other living areas so it can intercept smoke bclore it reaches the bedrooms. To add extra time for escape, bedroom doors should be kept closed at night providing an additional smoke barrier. The detector should be installed so it can be heard in the bedrooms even with the doors closed. It may be difficult to hear a detector located far from the bedroom area, and the installation of interconnected units will provide added safety. That way, when one unit detects smoke, all detectors will sound an alarm. 46 Is your home insured for what ills worth,or just for what it cost you..?" See me to find out il your homeowners insurance covers you lor increased value due to inflation. I'll explain Slate Farm's low-cosi Homeowners Insurance with automatic inflation coverage. DON IRVINE 108 Waverley Road Bowmanville Telephone 623-4482 HAM >A«M Like a good neighbor, State ihrm is there. STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY Canadian Head Office: Scarborough, Ontario Maintenance The equipment supplier provides maintenance instructions. Where economically feasible, a maintenance contract with the installer should be considered. Tests and examinations, as recommended by the manufacturer, should be made periodically by the householder, and it is good practice to establish a definite day for these tests. Periodic cleaning is a major defense against false alarms. Filters on photoelectric units must be cleaned regularly. Vacuuming is usually sufficient for cleaning ionization devices. A thorough cleaning is required at least once a year. Both battery-operated detectors and detectors powered by household electric current should give a warning signal when they are not working. Battery-powered models generally beep or flash a light for several minutes daily for a week or more to signal that their batteries are going dead. If going away advise your neighbors of the audio sound of your alarm -- it may save your home. On returning from an extended absence check your detector according to manufacturers' instructions to make sure the battery has not lost power. In plug-in detectors, a pilot light should give the warning signal by blinking off. In photoelectric models, a burned out bulb is usually signaled by a buzz or a wail. The Canada Safety Council strongly recommends the use of smoke detectors in the home. For more detailed information on fire prevention and protection contact the Fire Prevention Service of your local fire department. PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS When fire occurs in the home: 1. Get everyone outside as quickly as possible. 2. Call the fire department immediately. 3. If the fire is small, try to control or extinguish it. To achieve this, every home should have readily available easy-to-use fire fighting equipment. Types and Selection of Extinguishers Portable fire extinguishers are classified and labelled according to their ability to handle specific types and sizes of fires which in turn arc classified according to combustible materials involved. Class "A" fires involve materials such as'wood, cloth and paper. Class B lires involve a flammable or combustible liquid, fat or grease. Class "C" fires involve energized electrical equipment. Class D fires involve a combustible metal, but are not normally of concern to homeowners. CORPORATION OFTHETOWN OF NEWCASTLE PROCLAMATION FIRE PREVENTION WEEK It is hereby proclaimed that the week of October 9th to October 15th, 1983 will be observed as FIRE PREVENTION WEEK in the Town of Newcastle. You Only Have to Burn Once Have your chimney cleaned. Dr. Chimney 623-7984 THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE «M 1 .... Date of Publication: October 5th, 1983 Garnet B, Mayor Rickard' « Fire Prevention Week" Plan a date to visit yoiir fire department during FIRE PREVENTION WEEK October 9th to October 15th, 1983 OPEN HOUSE October 11th to October 15th FIRE STATION No. 1, BOWMANVILLE Daily 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday to 9:00 p.m. DISPLAYS OF VEHICLES Demonstrations of Equipment Daily Times -- 1:00 - 3:00 - 6:30 - 8:00 "Jaws of Life"--Aerial Tower--Air Masks gfSte Nozzles J. Aldridge, Deputy Fire Chief. October 5, 1983 NO INSURANCE POLICY L IJhHU... "NMPMCEiheI*®- When fire destroys your home... no policy coven the value of the thinp that are pndoua to you. No policy can replace a child'i favorite toy, a 6mily photo album -- or a life. THE ONLY REAL FIRE PROTECTION IS FIRE PREVENTION! Fire Prevention Week oct. 9-15 JAMES INSURANCE Brokers Ltd. .iik / ' -l. . 1.4, t *- Fire can v the things you've worked for over the years, in ; moments, Don't taki chances with your home or possessions, Prevent fires before they happen. out all PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT FOR EXTRA PROTECTION, INSURE WITH US. George Blyleven Insurance R..R. 6, Bowmanville 623-5300 (Hamilton Twp. Farmers Mutural Fire Insurance Co.)

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