Teaching Children About Safety Is As Important As Training Staff On Fire Safety Plans

 

 

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With the start of a new school year, we are all focusing on the safety of our children.  As a parent of a 4-year-old, I believe that it’s important to teach our children at a young age about safety.  As I’m sure that most parents feel the same way, safety of our children is our number one priority.  I have been teaching my 4-year-old his address and phone number, how to call 911 and our family evacuation plan in case of a fire.

 

 

A building/business owner should consider customers and employees their children.  It is the building/business fire-safety-planowners number one priority to make sure that everyone is safe.  A Fire Safety Plan is developed to ensure the highest level of safety for people as well as the property.  Once a Fire Safety Plan has been developed, staff should be trained regularly to effectively manage situations safety and assist people out of  dangerous situations.  A Fire Safety Plan is also submitted to the Fire Department so that they are also familiar with the property and know pertinent details of the property in case of emergency.   The training, education, and information that is contained in a fire safety plan provides essential fire safety measures for the fire department, employees, residents, customers, and the public.  These components are essential to create a fire safe environment for the community.

 

 

Fire Departments Adopt a Zero Tolerance for Building/Business Inspections

Under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, Fire Prevention Officers are mandated to conduct fire inspections based on complaints and request and if possible establish a routine or proactive inspection program. Currently most Fire Prevention Inspections Program are driven primarily by complaint inspections.

According the St. Catharine’s Master Plan, “St. Catharines Fire Service has implemented a Zero Tolerance Procedure. The goal for St. Catharines fire inspections is to move from reactive (complaint) inspections to proactive (routine). A proactive inspection program is true fire prevention that will aid in reducing fire deaths”

As part of the ToronFire Safety Logoto Fire Department Master Plan 2015-2019, there will be a strong focus on Fire Prevention with the hiring of at least 25 fire prevention officers a year until 2017. In the master plan starting in 2015, Toronto Fire Department will develop and implement aggressive strategies for pre-incident planning, inspections and Fire Code enforcement focused on violations that impact the immediate life safety of buildings.

Toronto isn’t the only Fire Department whose Fire Prevention Department is experiencing growth.  Many Fire Prevention Departments are currently developing initiatives to work with residents and building/business owners in the community to become compliant with the Ontario Fire Code.   All building/business owners should also be proactive to make sure they are in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code.  Under section 2.8 of the code a Fire Safety Plan is required to be submitted to the Fire Department.