Oak Bay Fire Department 
1703 Monterey Avenue, Oak Bay B.C. V8R 5V6 (250) 592-9121 
Email:  obfire@oakbay.ca       Fax:  (250) 598-2749

News Release
Date: September 8, 2015                                                          OBFD file # 2015-35

For Immediate Release:
Weekly Media Release for the period of Monday August 31, 2015 to Sunday, September 6, 2015.  Over the past week, Oak Bay Fire Department members responded to 35 calls for assistance.
These calls for assistance included:

17 – Medical Aid
8 – Residential / Commercial Alarm Bells
3 – Public Assistance
4 – Natural / Propane Gas Incident
1 – Electrical (wires down)
1 – Motor Vehicle Incident
1 – Smell of Smoke

Back to School Fire Safety Tips

It’s back to school time! How in the world did the summer fly by that fast? It seems like just yesterday we were wiping our collective brows that all the homework and early mornings were finished. Like all fun things, though, it screeched to a halt.

Speaking of fun screeching to a halt, nothing kills a mood like kids getting hurt. The worst thing about a child getting injured is so much of it can be prevented with a little forethought. If this applies to anything, it’s fire; while it’s obvious to adults, many kids just don’t realize the consequences of what they’re doing. This is why it’s so important to take extra time to talk to your kids and prepare them for anything.

Here are a few topics you should make sure to cover before the rush of school and fall-time activities take over.

Go Over the Basics

Even if they’ve been inundated with it at school, it’s important to go over the basics of fire safety. Make sure to go over Stop, Drop, and Roll with the kids, emphasizing that they should absolutely not panic. Stay calm, hit the ground, and smother the flame as quickly as you can.

Another big thing to cover is the plan to escape the house. Draw up a map and go over it with them so they know exactly what they’re supposed to do. Make sure they also know to hit the ground and crawl to safety, avoiding the smoke that’s surely rolling around on the ceiling.

Make sure there’s a known “meeting spot” outside. This way you can quickly count heads and not worry about where a child is. Let them know to NEVER go back in the house for anything. Stay at the meeting spot and wait for everyone else to arrive, including the fire department.

“Hands Off” Items

Every kid should know exactly what in the house is a “stay away” item. Usually this covers poison and cleaner items, sharp objects, and unfinished parts of the house. But too often we take for granted the stuff in the house that could potentially burn down our beloved homes.

If your child picks up a novelty lighter not knowing what it is, all it takes is one spark to cause huge problems. The same goes for that electrical outlet that you know is faulty but you just haven’t gotten to yet. Your child plugs in their iPad, a shower of sparks happen, and suddenly you’re rushing home from the office after a frantic phone call. The more they know, the better off they’ll be.

Family Effort

Parents aren’t the only ones in the house responsible for fire safety. It’s up to everyone to keep the house flame-free. For example, teach your child how the smoke alarm works. If they notice the battery is out or it’s working improperly, they can tell you so it gets back into working shape.

Another example is if the child notices someone has accidently left matches or other fire hazards within reach of a younger sibling. They can tell you to move the object so young fingers don’t cause a problem going forward. With a team effort like this, we’ll all stay safe as we go back to school and beyond!

For more information please contact the Oak Bay Fire Department’s, Fire Prevention Division (250)-592-9121.