On April 6, 2010, the students and staff at PTP had the pleasure of acting captain Ron Jones from Toronto Fire Services giving a presentation on fire safety. This presentation was very insightful. We learned what to do in case there is a fire in your home or apartment. We also learned you should always have a fire escape route plan for your house or apartment.

We were told that most fires start in the kitchen. If a fire starts on the stove you should cover it with a metal lid. We learned it is a not a good idea to fry with oil unless it is in a temperature controlled deep fryer and to always stay in the kitchen when cooking. If you find yourself on fire you should “stop, drop and roll” to put the flames out. If someone else is on fire you should throw a blanket over them to smother the flames. It doesn’t really matter if the blanket is wet.

We saw a video demonstration of how quickly a fire can spread. During a fire, there is very little time to get out. Everyone should have a plan when it comes to their kids. Each parent or persons should know which children or elderly person they are to help get out.

If you are in an apartment building, the first thing you should do is try to leave. Do not use the elevators at all, even if the halls and stairways are blocked with smoke. Return to the apartment and seal off the doors and vents. Open a window and wave a blanket back and forth to let firefighters know you are in the apartment. Also, make a tent with a blanket and breathe the fresh air out the window ff there is no smoke coming from the outside of your apartment. If you have a balcony, go outside and remain low to the ground.

We were also told that if someone does not speak any English in your household, teach them the basics of 911 calls in English. That is “I speak Italian” and “I need police, fire or ambulance”.

When going into any building , check for fire exits in case there is a fire. Have a designated meeting place outside when a fire occurs and never run back in the building.

We were told of the importance of smoke alarms and keeping them in working order. When the time “falls forward” in spring, you should change the batteries on your smoke alarm . When the time “falls back”, you should change the batteries again.

The acting fire chief also told of his experiences of actual fires and the devastation it can cause. It was a very entertaining and helpful presentation.

By Tracey