The week-long event originally commemorated the great Chicago Fire of 1871 which killed several hundred people and destroyed 3.3 square miles of the city leaving thousands homeless. On the 40th anniversary of the fire a national week was declared as a public awareness campaign to mitigate the leading causes of fires and provide information to the public.

The government of Quebec has issued a poster detailing the top 10 prevention steps residents can take to proactively combat fire-related hazards.

These include:

Smoke detectors

Install a smoke detector on each floor, including the basement.
Choose a photoelectric cell model, which triggers fewer unnecessary alarms.
Change the detector according to the replacement date that the manufacturer indicates on the case.

Having an evacuation plan

Locate two possible exits.
Identify an assembly point located outside and inform all the occupants of the residence.
Rehearse with all the occupants the steps to be followed during an evacuation in case of fire

Evacuating your Residence

Close the doors behind you to prevent flames and smoke from spreading to other rooms or into other dwellings.
Dial 911 once you are outside your residence.

Smoker’s Items

Do not throw cigarette butts into flowerpots or on mulch.
Place butts in a metal container.

Sources of Heat

Move curtains or furniture at least 10 cm from radiators, electric baseboard heating units or any other heat source.

Electricity

Have a master electrician carry out the electrical installation in your residence.
Use electrical appliances approved in Canada and bearing the CSA and ULC marks.

Carbon Monoxide

Install a carbon monoxide detector if your garage adjoins your residence or if you use non-electric heating or cooking units.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the carbon monoxide detector.

Preventing Cooking Fires

Constantly monitor food that is cooking and use a timer.
Never heat oil in any type of cauldron to fry foods.
Use a thermostat-controlled deep fryer.

Chimney Sweeping

Have an expert inspect and sweep your chimney once a year, before the heating season begins. The same applies to the outlet pipes of pellet fireplaces.

Hot Ashes

Let hot ashes cool off outside in a metal container with a metal lid.
Wait at least seven days before transferring them to a trash bin.

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