Oak Bay Fire Department

News Release
Date: February 2, 2015                                                   OBFD file # 2015-05

For Immediate Release:
Weekly Media Release for Monday, January 26, 2015 to Sunday, February 1, 2015.
Over the past week, Oak Bay Fire Department members responded to 17 calls for assistance.
These calls for assistance include:

10 – Medical First Responder Requests
3 – Commercial / Residential Alarm Activations
3 – Public Assistance
1 – Motor Vehicle Incident

Electrical Fire Safety Tips:

Canadian fire departments respond to many reported home structure fires involving electrical failure or malfunction. These fires have attributed to many serious injuries and fatalities. In a typical year these types of fires have an estimated property damage of over $500 million dollars.

• Replace or repair damaged or loose electrical cords.
•  Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under carpets.
• In homes with small children, make sure your home has tamper-resistant (TR) receptacles.
• Consider having additional circuits or outlets added by a qualified electrician so you do not have to use extension cords.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions for plugging an appliance into a receptacle outlet.
• Avoid overloading outlets. Plug only one high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet at a time.
• If outlets or switches feel warm, frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuits, or flickering or dimming lights, call a qualified electrician.
• Place lamps on level surfaces, away from things that can burn and use bulbs that match the lamp's recommended wattage.
• Make sure your home has ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in the kitchen bathroom(s), laundry, basement, and outdoor areas.
• Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) should be installed in your home to protect electrical outlets