Look. Listen. Learn. That’s the theme for Fire Prevention Week 2018, which runs from Oct. 7 to Oct. 13, and it encompasses several aspects of fire safety in the home. Okotoks Fire Chief Ken Thevenot said all three aspects of the theme are important to preventing and detecting causes of fire. “Look – look for anywhere fires can start,” said Thevenot. That means going through the home to check furnaces and hot water tanks and ensure nothing is stored around either, he said. No combustibles should be anywhere near the furnace or hot water tank, he said. Other areas of the home also need a close look, he said. That includes ensuring the kitchen is safe and there is a fire extinguisher handy, and making sure lint traps and vents in and around the washing machine and dryer are cleaned on a regular basis, he said. It also means having the furnace checked by a qualified person and the furnace filter is changed out regularly, he said. “[Furnace filters] should be checked at least once a month,” said Thevenot. “Some of them last little longer than others, but there are usually recommended timeframes on the filters themselves.” Listening refers to the sound of the smoke alarm and testing it regularly. He said Okotoks Fire recommends changing batteries in alarms each fall to keep them running properly. It’s also possible detectors need to be cleaned out from time to time, he said. “What happens over time with your smoke alarm, the audible part won’t work properly, it may accumulate dust inside of it,” said Thevenot. Smoke detectors are generally good for about 10 years, he said, but CO2 monitors only last about five years and should be checked to make sure they haven’t gone past their manufacturing dates. The “learn” portion of the prevention theme means being informed and finding two ways out of the home in case of emergency, he said. “Have a place in place, make sure you have a muster point outside where you meet with your family and discuss things as they happen,” said Thevenot. He said it’s important to have a pre-plan in place so anyone sleeping on any level of the home knows how to escape and where to meet. To help residents make their homes safe, the fire department offers free home inspections, he said. Firefighters will check for potential hazards in the home, as well as make sure smoke detectors are in good working condition, he said. “Stats have shown that according to the National Fire Prevention Association you have less than two minutes after your alarm sounds from the smoke detector to safely get out of the house or residence, so it doesn’t give you a lot of time,” said Thevenot. “We have to make sure we have working smoke alarms.” To end Fire Prevention Week, Okotoks Fire will host its annual open house at Fire Station #1 on Milligan Drive on Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be free hotdogs and demonstrations, including a fire simulation with fake smoke to give people an idea of what it’s like to be inside a fire. “We’ll have our thermal imaging cameras you can look through and see kind of what it feels like to be a firefighter inside a smoke-filled room,” said Thevenot. A vehicle extrication demonstration will also take place, where firefighters will show how they cut apart a vehicle in an accident to remove victims from inside, he said. “We’ll have other equipment there, apparatus, firefighters will be there to answer questions,” said Thevenot. “We look forward to seeing people up there, coming through and visiting us at our station.”
