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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 2, 20 18 | 24242 Advertorial If your smoke alarms suddenly go off in the middle of the night, do you know what to do? Fire experts pre- dict you only have a few minutes to get out safely in an emergency. But it seems many Canadian families are not prepared for such a situation. A recent survey revealed that just 56 per cent of us have a fire escape plan, and among those who do, just one in five said they practiced it at least twice a year. "While it is encouraging that so many people have given thought to a fire escape plan, without practice, it cannot be as effective," explains Tarsila Wey of First Alert, a leader in residential fire and carbon monoxide detection devices. "The Canada Safety Council and local fire safety officials make strong recommendations about home fire safety because they know that prop- er planning can help prevent trag- edy." Follow these steps to ensure your family has an effective emergency escape plan. Involve everyone in your household in developing a plan Walk through your home and iden- tify all possible exits and routes. Identify two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Install smoke and carbon monox- ide alarms and test them regularly For alarms without 10-year sealed batteries, it is important to change the batteries at least every six months. It's safest to install both photoelectric and ionization detec- tors in or near every bedroom and on every level of a home, including the basement. Choose an outside meeting place Choose something like a neigh- bour's house, light post or mailbox that's a safe distance in front of your home where everyone can meet af- ter they've escaped. Have everyone remember to call the fire department once they are safely out of the home. Once you're out, stay out Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, in- form the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform res- cues. Practice your home escape plan Practice at least twice a year, making drills as realistic as pos- sible. Allow children to master the escape plan before holding a fire drill at night when they are sleep- ing. The objective is to practice, not frighten, so telling children there will be a drill before they go to bed can be as effective as a surprise drill. "We encourage everyone to evaluate their level of prepared- ness against smoke and carbon monoxide dangers," says Wey. "It's imperative that people de- velop and practice an emergency escape plan and install, main- tain, regularly test and replace alarms. These are life-saving practices that can make a real difference." (NC) How to make a smart fire safety plan a division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. • 77,000 listings to browse from • 45,000 agents to connect with • Offers the best demographic and local info • Notifications when new homes are available that meet your criteria • Follow a listing and get updates (price changes, open house, sold) • Flexible search parameters • Advanced mapping technologies Why use HomeFinder.ca? Find your PERFECT matcH!