No matter how different your usual Christmas festivities may look this year in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, odds are, there will still be at least some similarities. If you’re having a small festive celebration in your home with flickering lights and winter greens, this can unfortunately present fire risks that can quickly turn devastating if the proper precautions aren’t taken. With fire safety risks increasing during the holiday season, special care and attention needs to be taken in our homes. We’re going to take a look at our fire safety tips for this time of year, to add another important element of safety to your holiday season.

Real Vs. Artificial Tree

Whether you opt for a real Christmas tree or an artificial tree, there are still fire hazards that go along with each of them. While you may already know that your real tree can be a fire hazard if you don’t take care of it properly, you may not know that your artificial tree may not be fire resistant. 

Toronto firefighters tell the Toronto Sun what to look out for when it comes to both real and artificial trees:

“When buying a tree there are considerations such as a real tree should be fresh with green needles that are hard to pull off and the stand should be kept filled with water. An artificial tree should have a fire-resistant label. All trees should be kept away from fireplaces and radiators.”

Holiday Cooking

If you’re still indulging in your famous Christmas turkey this year (and you should be!), it’s important that you don’t allow yourself to get distracted. There are many important elements to ensuring that both your house and kitchen are prepared for fire safety, including checking to ensure that your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working.

Fireline.com tells us why cooking is the number one cause of holiday fires:

“The most common culprit is unattended food on the stove. It’s easy to get distracted; take a potholder when you leave the kitchen as a friendly reminder that you’ve got something on the stove. Remember to keep an extinguisher in your kitchen area, and check your smoke detectors to make sure they’re working. If you are planning to deep-fry a turkey or ham, do it outside on a flat and level surface at least 20 feet from your house.”

Give Space Heaters Space

Last but not least, if using space heaters to keep in that extra bit of holiday warmth, it’s important to give them space. Space heaters can pose significant fire and electric shock hazards if not used properly and if set too close to other objects. Fire and electrical hazards can also be caused by space heaters without adequate safety features, if they’re placed near combustibles, or are improperly plugged in.

The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs tells us why it’s important to keep your space heaters as far away from other objects as possible:

“If you are using space heaters to help take the chill off, remember to keep them at least one metre (3 feet) away from anything that can burn such as curtains, upholstery, or holiday decorations.”

Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Reach out to us using our contact form to find out more.

The portable fire extinguishers you see in those glass cases on the wall in commercial buildings have proven to be extremely effective against small fires, with a 95% success rate. But due to the rate in which fires spread and the fact that these portable extinguishers are only designed to control fires in their earliest stages, it’s especially important to ensure that a fire extinguisher is ready and available in multiple locations in your commercial building. While Chapter 6.2 of the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 10 covers the specific nitty-gritty details about how many fire extinguishers your building needs, we’re happy to offer this guide to give you an idea of how many fire extinguishers you need based on your building’s size and fire hazard level.

Is My Building Required To Have a Fire Extinguisher?

It’s important to note that buildings of all kinds are required to contain fire extinguishers – excluding family homes. This includes apartment occupancies, business occupancies, educational occupancies, mercantile occupancies and more.

Qrfs.com gives us more information as to where this requirement is located in the NFPA:

“Fire extinguishers are required in industrial, commercial, and residential buildings listed in NFPA 1: Fire Code. NFPA 1 mandates fire extinguishers in nearly every kind of building except family homes, duplexes, and manufactured homes.”

Fire Extinguisher Types & Sizes

Before you buy any fire extinguishers for your building, it’s important to understand the different types and sizes of available fire extinguishers. The reason why different types and sizes even exist, is to be able to adequately fight different classes of fires. 

Unifourfire.com breaks down the different fire classes to know when shopping for fire extinguishers:

• “Class A fires, which are the most common. They are comprised of ordinary combustible products, including wood, paper, plastic, and fabric. Just about every commercial building is at risk for a Class A fire.

• Class B fires, involving flammable liquids or gases, such as gasoline, oil, propane, and kerosene.

• Class C fires, which describes fires that involve electrical wiring and thus pose the threat of electrocution.”

It’s important to note that the best way of being prepared to combat all three of these most common classes of fire, is to buy multi-purpose ABC fire extinguishers. These types of fire extinguisher will have size ratings attached to them, which indicate greater fire extinguishing capacity depending on how high the number is.

Location & Placement

Last but certainly not least, the location and placement of each fire extinguisher is crucial to preventing the spread of common types of fires in the early stages. It’s important to be mindful of the location and placement requirements by different class fire hazards, which is outlined in the NFPA. 

Firesystems.net explains why location is important when it comes to the prevention of the spread of fires:

“Having the correct type of fire extinguisher for the correct hazard is essential, but so is location. NFPA 10, the standard for portable fire extinguishers, says that fire extinguishers should be located where they are readily accessible and available in the event of a fire. That means extinguishers should be located along paths of travel for ease of access in the event of a fire. Another requirement is visibility. Fire extinguishers need to be visible. If that’s not possible, signage should be installed to indicate the location of the fire extinguisher(s).”

While having a fire detector in your home is not mandatory by law, it is strongly recommended. Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Reach out to us using our contact form to find out more.

A fire alarm system going off is a sound that we all recognize. While a smoke detector can be a lifesaving device, it can also easily signal a false alarm – and when a false alarm becomes a regular occurrence, it can become a huge inconvenience. We’re going to take a look at what causes a smoke detector false alarm so you can avoid those unpleasant occurrences and you can also ensure that your fire alarm system is working correctly.

Dirt, Dust and Insects

Surprisingly enough, dirt, dust, and insects can cause false alarms in your smoke detector – and the older your smoke detector is, the more time this debris has to accumulate. This buildup has the ability to interfere with your smoke detector’s sensors and cause a false alarm to be triggered. 

Fireprotectionblog.com tells us more about this unexpected cause of a smoke detector false alarm:

“As surprising as it might seem, insects can cause smoke detectors’ false alarms. Some are so small that they can get inside the device and interfere with the detector’s sensors. Besides, accumulated dust and dirt can also make the detector overly sensitive, increasing the chances of a false alarm.”

The Unit is Within 10 Feet From Your Kitchen

Odds are, if you regularly cook your own food, you’ve set off a fire alarm at some point in your lifetime. With many fire alarms being located within 10 feet from your kitchen (even though it is advised that they are not installed so close), not setting off your fire alarm when there’s a sudden excess of smoke is nearly an impossible task.

Lee Wallender of The Spruce expands on the most common household reason for a smoke detector to trigger a false alarm:

“Cooking smoke, even when it is not visible, can trigger your smoke alarm. Manufacturers generally recommend that you install the unit more than 10 feet away from cooking areas due to the high number of false alarms triggered by smoke.”

Steam or High Humidity

Did you know that it’s not only smoke that can set off your smoke alarm? Both steam and high humidity have the potential for setting off your smoke alarm, due to that fact that the makeup of these kinds of particles can be mistaken for smoke particles.

Vivint.com tells us why even your morning hot, steamy shower has the potential for setting off your smoke alarm:

“High humidity carries dense moisture particles that your smoke detector may confuse for smoke particles. In extreme cases, the air is dense enough to scatter the light beam of a photoelectric sensor or cling onto the ions in an ionization chamber. The same concept applies to steam. So, if your smoke detector sits right outside a steamy bathroom, you may want to move it to a different location.”

Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Reach out to us using our contact form to find out more.

Fire sprinklers are one of the most effective methods to fighting a fire in the early stages and are widely accepted across residential homes and businesses. Fire sprinklers are put in place to save your property from the devastating effects of a spreading fire as quickly as possible, but first and foremost, to protect lives. In this article, we expand on the importance of fire sprinklers and how they work to detect heat within your home or workplace. 

Protecting Lives

First and foremost, the importance of installing fire sprinklers is to protect lives. In fact, according to the NFPA, the chances of dying in a fire and the average property loss per fire are both cut by one-half to two-thirds when fire sprinklers have been properly installed.

Fireprotectionblog.com expands on the most important reason that fire sprinklers are used:

“Without a doubt, the most important role that fire sprinklers play is in protecting the lives of those who occupy the building. The NFPA reports, “the civilian death rate was 81% lower in homes with fire sprinklers than in homes without them.” During a fire, sprinkler systems are activated early on to fight a fire and increase the likelihood of surviving a fire. Fire sprinkler systems slow the spread of a fire and allow people to safely evacuate a building and reduce the amount of toxic fumes released by a fire.”

Detecting Heat

You may be surprised to know that fire sprinklers work by detecting heat in the building and not smoke. While this may seem as though fire sprinklers are not as sensitive as smoke detectors, they are designed not to be for good reason.

Guardian Fire Protection Services tells us more about what triggers fire sprinklers:

“Contrary to popular belief, fire sprinklers are not triggered by smoke. It’s an easy mistake to make, since heat is carried upward with smoke from a fire. But if smoke was the trigger, simply burning your toast in the office kitchen could be enough to drench the kitchen with water from a fire sprinkler head.”

Efficiency and Function

With a life saving tool as valuable as fire sprinklers, it’s incredibly important to make sure that they are regularly maintained and inspected to ensure that they’re in perfect working order. This will ensure that in the event of an emergency, the fire is put out as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Judd Fire Protection talks about the many benefits of fire sprinklers that have been well maintained and annually inspected:

“Fire Sprinklers that are well maintained and inspected annually have been responsible for saving many lives. Because they are so efficient at stopping fires before they spread and cause extensive damage and injuries, the fires are stopped before they grow. In addition, not only are they used in commercial office spaces, but they are also used in restaurant eating areas, commercial kitchens, warehouses and industrial settings, multi-family homes, and single-family residences.”  

Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Reach out to us using our contact form to find out more.

One of the most important aspects of successfully fighting a fire is ensuring that it is detected as soon as possible. Early detection of a fire can not only minimize the damage to the building itself, but can allow for the safe exit of any building occupants. When it comes to how a fire may be detected, the methods available go far beyond your standard smoke alarm that’s installed in your residential home. We’re going to take a look at the different types of fire detection, so you can be fully aware of all the options that are available to you.

Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors are the most commonly used fire detection devices and can be found in the majority of both residential homes and commercial buildings. The three most common smoke detectors are ionization, photoelectric, and combination ionization/photoelectric. All three of these smoke detectors sound an alarm when they identify smoke so they can notify the building’s occupants. Each of these detectors work differently from the other in the way that they detect smoke.

Alarm New England explains the science behind ionization smoke detectors:

“This type of smoke detector uses ionized particles to detect the presence of smoke. Each ionization smoke detector holds a tiny amount of radioactive material, which is placed between two electrically charged plates. The reaction between these components causes the ionization of air. This in turn creates a current between the two plates. When smoke gets into the detector, the current is disrupted and the alarm is triggered. Ionization smoke detectors are know to work better with flaming fires—these are fires with aggressive, open flames. Their effectiveness with other types of fires, such as smoldering fires, isn’t as great. That is why we have another type of smoke detector.”

Heat Detectors

Heat detectors are most commonly used in the areas where smoke alarms cannot be installed. It is not the most practical to install a smoke alarm in a kitchen which is regularly filled with smoke, or a garage that may often deal with fumes. In these cases, installing a heat detector may be a more practical option.

Kinetixfire.com tells us what we need to know about how heat detectors work:

Heat detectors detect the presence of heat and an increase in air temperature. These detectors have few false alarms but, they take longer to identify a fire than a smoke detector. They’re ideal in situations where smoke detectors may cause false alarms such as steamy, humid, or dusty environments. Infrequently occupied areas like storage facilities, warehouses, or machine rooms also use these types of detectors.

Flame Detectors

Flame detectors are not used in the same way as your smoke alarm or heat detector. Flame detectors are generally used in large industrial process gas heaters and are connected to the flame control system, acting as both flame quality monitors and for flame failure detection. You may also find them in your residential home, connected to your gas furnace or boiler.

Chemicalprossessing.com tells us what the benefits are of flame detectors, especially in the chemical and refining industries:

“Fires and explosions are common hazards in the chemical and refining industries. Unexpected releases of flammable liquids and gases can ignite, sometimes violently, when mixed with air, leading to injury and property damage. Energy-sensing flame detectors can enhance the safety of processes involving flammable materials by triggering an alarm when a fire erupts, thus providing early warning and helping ensure people’s safety.”

Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Reach out to us using our contact form to find out more.

When you live or work in a high rise building, it is incredibly important to think ahead and be prepared in the event that a fire breaks out. Understanding the safety features of your building or unit needs to be a top priority and you must ensure that either your employer or your landlord/building manager clearly lays out the emergency procedures that are outlined in the building’s fire safety plan. It’s important to remember that every fire is different and protocol may not be exactly the same for every situation. We’re going to take a look at what you need to know when it comes to fire safety for high rise buildings.

Prepare

As mentioned, making sure you’re fully prepared for the event of a fire in a high rise building is essential to ensuring that everyone is unharmed. Not only should you make sure you’re asking questions if you feel unclear about the procedures that have been set in place, but you should read the building’s evacuation plan, which should be readily available and clearly visible in your building. 

Safetyandhealthmagazine.com tells us the first thing that should always be done in the event of a possible fire in a high rise building:

“Find out what the building’s evacuation plan is. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency says it should be posted in high-traffic areas. Next, you and your co-workers should routinely practice your floor’s escape plan. Remember: Fire exits, doorways, halls and stairways should never be blocked. If you notice that a fire safety system device is damaged, report it to management right away.”

Stay in Place

It’s important to remember that when living or working in a high rise building, sometimes it’s actually safer for you to stay in place, rather than attempt to leave the building. Of course, this is dependent on the particular circumstances of the fire, but the fact remains, it can make far more sense to keep yourself out of harm’s way if the fire is contained in one area of the building.

Lewis Smith, Canada Safety Council spokesperson explains on Globalnews.ca why sometimes the best thing you can do is stay put:

“It’s also generally a good idea to stay in place if there’s smoke or fire outside your exit door, if you have a disability that might make evacuation more difficult than your average person, or if you waited just a bit too long to evacuate and the fire department is in place and attempting to ventilate the fire.” 

Leaving the Building

Sometimes it is absolutely necessary to leave the building, especially if  you are close to the source of the fire or if the fire is rapidly spreading. However, there are some courses of action that you should not take when attempting to leave the building – and attempting to use the elevator is on the top of this list.

Toronto.ca expands on why you must never try to leave the building by elevator in the event of a fire: 

“During a fire emergency, never attempt to leave a building by an elevator. Heat can activate elevator call buttons, sending the elevator to the fire floor, where dense smoke may interfere with the elevator’s light-sensitive eye and prevent the door from closing. Also, you may become trapped in the elevator if water from fire fighting operations creates a power failure. In addition, firefighters require designated elevators to carry them and their equipment to the floor below the fire.”

Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Reach out to us using our contact form to find out more.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) tells us that home fires occur most often in the winter. This is for a variety of reasons, but the number one cause in the fall and winter specifically being heating equipment. With hundreds of lives claimed each year and billions of dollars caused in damages, serious accidents can often be prevented by following basic fire safety tips. Keep reading for our fire safety tips to help keep you and your family safe as we begin the fall and winter season.

Follow Safe Heating Practices

Making sure that you follow safe heating practices is one of the most important ways that you can make sure that you’re keeping your home safe from fire-related incidents during this fall and winter season. Accidents from heating equipment not only come in the form of space heaters, but also in fireplaces and ovens.

Servicemasterrestore.com gives us their tips on safely heating your home:

• “Two of every five fires occur because of space heaters. If you have one in your home, make sure it has an automatic shut-off so that if it accidentally tips over, it will shut off before a fire starts.

• Do not place space heaters or other heating equipment near flammable materials, such as furniture, clothing, mattresses or bedding. Maintain 3 feet between all heating equipment and other furniture or décor.

• If you own a wood stove, always keep the doors closed. The only time you should open the doors is if you’re adding more wood or stoking the fire.

Have Your Chimneys and Vents Checked

Those who enjoy the many benefits of having a working fireplace during the colder months need to ensure that they’re having their chimneys and vents checked. As warm and atmospheric as having a burning fire in your fireplace can be, it also unfortunately presents multiple fire hazards.

Realty Times explains why having your chimneys and vents checked is absolutely essential:

Be Aware of Carbon Monoxide 

Carbon monoxide is a common household killer, made especially dangerous by the fact that it’s completely invisible. A number of heating appliances can cause CO poisoning, which makes this an exceptionally large hazard in the fall and winter.

Firemarshals.org explain why making sure you have multiple CO alarms situated throughout your home:

“When heating your home, you need to be aware of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is called the “invisible killer” because it’s a colorless, odorless, and poisonous gas. More than 150 people in the U.S. die every year from accidental CO poisoning from generators or fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fire places. Breathing CO at high levels can kill you.

Put CO alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of increasing CO levels. These alarms should be placed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.”

Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Reach out to us using our contact form to find out more.

It is estimated that more than 25,000 residential fires and more than 300 deaths are caused each year by space heaters alone. This is an incredibly frightening number, especially when it’s realized that the vast majority of these fires could easily have been prevented. Simply following basic space heater safety tips can make the difference between a safe, heated home, and a serious accident. We’re going to take you through our space heater safety tips, as a reminder to be extra cautious as the weather gets colder.

Only Use Electric Space Heaters Inside

Not all space heaters are made equal – some can only be used outdoors, and it is vitally important to make sure that you never use these types of heaters inside your home. If a heater meant for outdoor spaces is used indoors, it can cause a potentially fatal accident for yourself and your family.

Enercare tells us more about why electric space heaters should be used inside only:

“You should only use an electric heater inside your home. Fuel-burning space heaters are intended for open-air use and should never be brought into the house, even if you are undergoing furnace maintenance and have no other source of heating. Using a fuel-burning space heater inside could expose your family to carbon monoxide or other poisonous gases. For the safety of you and your loved ones, it’s always best to stick with smaller, electric space heaters.”

Space Heater Placement

Space heaters get hot – after all, that’s what they’re meant to do. However, this means that you need to keep them away from any type of furniture and material that can easily go up in flames, in order to prevent the surrounding area potentially going up in flames.

Sylvane explains why space heater placement is crucial to preventing fire hazards:

“It’s generally suggested that space heaters be placed at least 3 feet away from furniture, window treatments, bedding, clothing, rugs, and other combustibles.

These items can cause a risk of fire if they come in contact with a unit’s electric heating element or too-hot surface.

Other Placement Tips

• Never sit or drape anything on top of a portable heater.

• In addition, be sure that the heater is placed on a hard, level surface.

• Review your owner’s manual for specific instructions on your heater.”

Check for Overheat Protection

It’s more than wise to ensure that when purchasing a space heater, it comes with an overheat protection feature. This feature will automatically turn off your space heater if it detects it’s getting too hot, and can be essential in preventing an accident from occurring. However, not all space heaters have this feature, and it’s important to take extra precautions if yours does not.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission tells us what to do if your space heater does not have this feature:

Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Contact us using our contact form to find out more.

The fall and winter months are known for festive holidays with home cooked meals, quality time with friends and family and snuggling up in a blanket in front of a fireplace. Unfortunately, the colder months also come with an increase in fire hazards, as an increase in heating equipment and cooking devices are used. In this article, we’re going to cover common fall and winter fire hazards, as a reminder to be extra careful during the holiday season.

Have Your Furnace Checked

While your furnace is incredibly valuable during the winter months, a faulty or unmaintained furnace is also the most likely cause of a house fire. When not used or maintained properly, a furnace can actually cause an array of dangerous and even fatal problems to the home and its residents. This is why hiring a professional to regularly inspect your furnace is not only responsible, but necessary.

Fireline explains why it may not be enough to check your furnace yourself, if you’re not a professional:

Candles

We all know the obvious reason why candles are a fire hazard, being that they’re literally, well, fire. The fall and winter season bring with them a huge increase in the use of candles due to their ambiance inducing qualities. Unfortunately, this also brings an increase in candle-related fire safety incidents as well.

ServiceMaster Restore gives us more tips on about how to prevent candles from becoming a serious fire hazard:

“Candles are popular over the holidays for their charming glow and lovely aromas. Unfortunately, candle fires spike over the holidays, especially on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. During this time, up to 25 candle fires are reported each day.

An open flame, no matter how small, is not something to take lightly. When using candles during the holiday candles, follow these safety tips:

• Keep candles at least 12 inches away from any flammable objects.

• Try not to use candles in the bedroom, where they may be forgotten if you fall asleep.

• Do not leave small children or pets alone in a room with a lit candle.

• Blow out candles every time you leave the room.”

The Kitchen

The colder weather not only brings a slew of major holidays, but it also prompts an increase of cooking in general. This makes kitchen-related fire incidents more of a risk than usual, with home owners cooking large meals in their homes more than usual.

Canada Safety Council gives their tips on being extra cautious in the kitchen during the winter months:

“Stay in the kitchen when cooking, especially when using grease or when cooking food at high temperatures. If a grease fire starts, never try to put it out with water. If possible, cover the pan with a lid to smother the flames; use baking soda on shallow grease fires. If you can’t control the fire immediately, get yourself and your family out fast, and call 9-1-1.”

Fire-Alert takes pride in equipping homeowners with all necessary fire safety devices to ensure the well-being of families across the nation. Contact us using our contact form to find out more.

While you may have heard of the term “occupant use fire hose”, you may be unclear on exactly what this is, how often it needs to be inspected, and if you even have one! We’re going to take a look at exactly what an occupant use hose is, and the precautions you need to be taking to make sure it’s in working order in the event of an emergency.

What Is An Occupant Use Fire Hose?

Occupant use fire hoses are fire hoses that are stored within a building – but what are they used for? Are they meant solely for the occupants of the building to use, or are they there for the fire department’s use?

Occupational Health & Safety expands on what these occupant use hoses are and are not used for:

“Within the fire industry and NFPA standards, the small hoses inside facilities are typically referred to as “Occupant Use Hoses.” The use of this terminology is not by coincidence, as the name actually indicates the professional fire service’s opinion of these hoses. The hoses inside a facility are specifically for the use of the building occupants, not the fire department. Very seldom if ever will public fire departments plan to or actually use hoses owned and maintained by someone other than themselves. They will use the hose drops to connect their own hoses, but the actual hoses are typically off limits. As the Occupant Use Hoses are just that, for occupant use, it is important to determine the uses available within the facility.”

Self Inspections

Although self inspections do not take the place of a professional inspection, they are still necessary in order to ensure that an unexpected issue did not occur.

Koorsen Fire & Security tells us why self inspections should still be conducted in between annual inspections:

Professional Inspections

As with any fire detection or fighting equipment, your occupant use fire hose may be vitally important in the case of a fire. This is why ensuring that you are having your hose regularly expected is incredibly important should an emergency arise.

A1 Sprinkler & Systems Integration expands on how often you should be having your fire hose inspected professionally:

“Every year, or after any use, you should have your fire hose inspected by a professional for a visual hose, nozzle and coupling inspection. During this inspection, your Life Safety Partner will unrack, unreel/unroll and physically inspect your hose to determine that the hose, couplings, and any nozzle have not been vandalized, they are free of debris, and exhibit no evidence of mildew, rot or damage by chemicals, burns, cuts, abrasion or vermin. They will also check that nozzle controls and adjustments operate properly, inspect gaskets for presence, tight fit, and deterioration, and couplings for damage, corrosion, and rotation.”

Our Fire-Alert experts test and inspect hoses to the most current NFPA standards and current Fire Code rules. When you allow Fire-Alert to annually inspect your hoses and to perform hydrostatic tests when required, you are able to give your employees and building occupants both protection and peace of mind. Contact us using our contact form to book an appointment.