Safety Tips

Candles are a common cause of home fires. Be safe and use the following safety tips when burning candles in your home:

• Keep lit candles away and out of reach of children and pets
• Keep candles, matches and lighters stored out of sight and reach of children
• Only use candles when an adult is present and awake
• Never leave a burning candle unattended
• Always blow out candles before going to sleep or leaving the room
• Never use lit candles on or near a decorated tree or other greenery
• Keep all combustible materials, including decorative materials and wreaths, at least 1 m away from lit candles
• Secure candles in a stable, non-flammable candle holder, where they can't be knocked over
• Buy good quality candles that are smoke-free and drip-free

Every year in Ontario, children are injured or die in fires they start themselves. Here are some tips to keep your children safe:

• Teach children about the dangers of fire
• Keep all fire starting materials out of the sight and reach of children
• Teach young children not to touch matches and to tell an adult if they find them
• Teach yourself and your children about contact burn dangers from irons, curling irons, radiators, older oven doors, wood-burning stoves, and fireplaces
• Teach children about safe cooking
• If you suspect your child is involved in inappropriate fire play, call the Township of Scugog Fire and Emergency Services' Fire Prevention Office at 905-985-2384

Always use a licensed electrician for any electrical work. Contact the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) for information about renovation plan requirements and electrical product recalls.

Other electrical safety tips include:

• Only use extension cords as a temporary connection (if you need something more permanent, have additional outlets installed by a licensed electrician)
• Check electrical cords for damage, such as fraying or nicks, and avoid running them under rugs (a damaged cord can expose wires and result in a potential shock or fire hazard)
• Don't overload a circuit by connecting multiple extension cords to one outlet (if additional outlets or circuits are required, have them installed by a licensed electrician)

You need to maintain any heating systems that burn fuel such as gas, oil or wood. These systems also need annual inspections. The only person qualified to inspect your natural gas, propane or oil furnace is a certified heating contractor.

If you are not sure whether your contractor is certified, call the Technical Standards and Safety Authority at 1-877-682-8772 for a list of certified contractors.

Gas fireplaces are a popular alternative to traditional wood-burning fireplaces. Gas fireplaces get hot quickly and can be a safety issue for children. Children can easily get a burn from contact with the glass barrier in the front of a gas fireplace. It takes an average of 45 minutes for the fireplace to cool to a safe temperature after use.

To keep your child safe around gas fireplaces and other heating products:

• Never leave a young child alone near a gas fireplace (burns can happen before, during and after use of the fireplace)
• Create a barrier around the gas fireplace to keep children at a safe distance
• Teach children about the dangers of fire
• Consider not using the fireplace if you have young children less than five years of age or using it only after your children have gone to sleep
• Consider turning the unit off completely, including the ignition flame, whenever the unit is not in use
• Teach yourself and your children about contact burn dangers from irons, curling irons, radiators, older oven doors, wood-burning stoves, and fireplaces

• Consider switching to an artificial tree for less risk of a fire
• Test live, cut trees for freshness by bending a few needles in half (if they snap in two, the tree is dry and is more of a fire risk)
• Keep cut trees in a sturdy, non-tip stand
• Make sure your tree is at least 1 m away from any flame or heat source
• Position your tree near an outlet so that cords are not running long distances
• Don't place your tree where it may block any exits
• Never decorate a tree with candles
• Inspect electrical lights and extension cords for wear and tear and replace any cords that are beginning to fray or have broken sockets
• Only use lights that have been certified by a recognized testing and certification organization, such as CSA or ULC
• Don't overload the circuit by stringing too many cords together at a single outlet
• Unplug all lights, inside and outside, before going to bed or leaving home
• Safely dispose of your tree when it begins dropping needles (dried-out trees are flammable and should not be left inside the home or garage or placed against the outside of your house)
• Always stay in the kitchen while cooking. If you must leave, turn off the stove
• Keep an eye on any drinkers in your household and make sure all cigarettes are properly extinguished and the stove is off before going to bed
• Cigarettes can smoulder among upholstered items for hours before igniting. Check sofas and chairs for cigarettes that may have fallen between the cushions  
• Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers  
• Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding 

Cooking is the number one cause of home fires in Ontario. Here are some tips about kitchen safety to help prevent accidents and fires in your home:

• Never leave cooking unattended
• Keep your cooking area clean
• Don't store combustible objects near the stove
• Always turn pot handles inward on stove
• Wear short sleeves or close-fitting sleeves when cooking
• Don't overheat cooking oil
• Never cook while under the influence of alcohol
• Put a lid on a pot or pan that catches fire, turn off the stove burner and leave the lid on until completely cool
• Don't carry a burning pan to a sink or outside (movement can cause the fire to ignite or hot grease to spill and cause burns)
• Keep the door shut and turn off the heat of a microwave or oven that catches fire (if flames don't go out immediately, call the fire department at 9-1-1)
• Never pour water on a grease fire
• Always keep a fire extinguisher near the kitchen door

Every year in Ontario, children are injured or die in fires they start themselves.

In the hands of children, matches and lighters can be deadly weapons.

• Keep all fire starting materials out of the sight and reach of children
• Teach young children not to touch matches and to tell an adult if they find them
• If you suspect your child is involved in inappropriate fire play, call the Fire Prevention Office, Township of Scugog Fire and Emergency Services, at 905-985-2384 for information and assistance.

Install a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm and propane leak alarm.

Store and transport propane with care

• Gas cylinders, relief valves and regulating equipment must be located either outside the vehicle or in a compartment gas tight to the interior
• Use the designated spaces for storage and transportation
• Do not use roof-mounted cylinders or mount cylinders on the back

Only use a certified technician to install or remove propane piping, tubing equipment and appliances in any recreational vehicle.

Use only approved appliances.  Look for the CGA, CSA or ULC symbols.

Refill your propane with care:

• Turn off all interior burners, pilot lights, appliances and automatic ignition switches
• Shut off recreational vehicle motor
• Have all passengers leave during propane refilling

Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths in Ontario! 

• Encourage smokers to smoke outside and never allow anyone in your home to smoke in bed
• Never extinguish cigarettes in plant pots, which often contain a mixture of peat moss, shredded wood and bark that can easily ignite
• Use large deep ashtrays that can't be knocked over
• Empty ashtrays into a metal container, not the garbage can, and store the container outside

• Inspect and clean your chimney
• Check stovepipes and connections
• Check for creosote
• Check walls for excessive heat
• Protect walls and floors from heat and sparks
• Install a rain cap
• Watch for warning signs, such as corrosion or rust on the outer shell or liner of a chimney, as well as loose bricks, crumbling mortar, dark stains and white powder
• When in doubt, call an expert