FREDERICTON (GNB) – Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 9-15 in New Brunswick. This year’s theme, Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape, focuses on the importance of an escape plan.

“Many factors contribute to making a home fire safe,” said Public Safety Minister Bill Hogan. “An escape plan is essential and everyone in the household should be familiar with it.”

“It does not take long to make a plan and there are resources to help you make one,” said provincial fire marshal Michael Lewis.

While developing and practising a home-escape plan, people are reminded to:

• Draw a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit.
• Practise your home fire drill at least twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practise using different ways out.
• Teach children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them.
• Make sure the number of your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find.
• Close doors behind you as you leave. This may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire.
• Have a designated meeting place outside. Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.
• Call 911 from outside the home.

The Office of the Fire Marshal has distributed this year’s Fire Safety Gazette to all students from kindergarten to Grade 5. It contains games, puzzles and fire safety information for children and their families. Students may also fill out a ballot from the Gazette and submit it before Nov. 4 to win the chance to be named fire chief for a day. The fire chief of the day gets a party at their school, a fire safety backpack filled with fire safety supplies (extinguisher, smoke alarms, stuffy), a set of bunker gear (fire outfit) and a chance to drive in a fire truck.

Fire departments throughout the province will also organize activities throughout the week to promote fire safety.

07-10-22