Family Day is a great day to go over your home’s fire safety plan, says Ottawa Fire Services

Does your household have a fire escape plan? Leanne Labbee from Ottawa Fire tells us what we should have prepared in the event of an emergency at home.

Knowing how to get out of your home in the event of a fire can save your life, and Ottawa Fire Services says the upcoming Family Day holiday is a good opportunity to go over your family’s escape plan.

Fire Prevention Officer Leanne Labbee joined CTV Your Morning Ottawa on Tuesday to talk about making a safety plan for your home.

“With Family Day this month, it’s a perfect time to bring it out because if you’re looking for an activity to do, it’s extremely simple. It will only take about 20 minutes. Get everybody involved and then everybody knows,” she said.

A fire escape plan is as simple as walking through your home and knowing where your exits are.

“You have to just draw a simple diagram of your house. We’re not looking for any crazy details, just so you know the layout,” Labbee said. “Then you’re going to want to do a walk through the house and look for two ways out of each room as you’re going… Also, while you’re doing your walkthrough, make sure all your exits are accessible, so there’s nothing blocking them, nothing in the way.”

While you’re walking through the home, Labbee says it’s also an opportunity to test your smoke alarms.

“That way, not only do you test them and know that they’re working but, especially if you have younger kids, they get to know the sound of the alarm and know what it means,” she said.

You can download a free fire escape plan worksheet from the City of Ottawa’s website.

You should also designate a meeting spot where everyone in the home knows to gather after getting out of the house.

“Make sure everybody knows what number to call. In Ottawa, we’re very lucky; it’s 9-1-1. And making sure your house number is visible as well for when fire crews arrive is very important,” Labbee says.

If you live with anyone who might be unable to evacuate on their own, make sure your escape plan includes a way to help them.

What to do in a high-rise apartment

If you live in an apartment building, the important thing to know is where your fire escapes and stairwells are, Labbee says. High-rises and other high-occupancy buildings are required to have a fire safety plan.

“And then, you have a choice. Obviously, evacuating is always the safest thing to do. But apartment buildings are designed quite securely, so that if the fire’s not in your unit or in the proximity, you can actually rest within your unit and maintain your safety through the fire security systems that they have within the building when it was designed,” she said.

Ottawa Fire Services says it’s important to keep doors closed. If you’re evacuating, close doors behind you. A closed door can help block the spread of flames within a building, possibly sparing your apartment from significant damage while also making it easier for firefighters to put the fire out.

What not to do

Labbee says it’s important not to make your escape plans too complicated or unrealistic.

“If you have a tiny window, don’t plan on that being your option of escape. Make sure they’re realistic options and they’re safe options to get out,” she said.

Ottawa Fire Services also says before opening any door, feel it. If it’s hot, do not open it and, instead, find another way out.

Once you’re out of the building, stay out. Do not go back inside.

“Firefighters are trained to perform rescue operations - you are not,” Ottawa Fire Services says.

What if there’s only one exit?

If you’re stuck in a room and your escape is blocked, there are ways to keep yourself safe, Labbee says.

“This is what we call sheltering in place. You want to put something underneath the door to block the smoke coming in,” she said. “Hopefully, you have a form of communication with you. If you do, you can call 9-1-1 and our dispatchers will answer and they will walk you through steps to keep you safe, as well as finding out where you’re located and the conditions you’re located in, so that we can send rescue crews in to get you out safely.”