The Esquimalt Fire Department is the first on scene at residential and commercial structure fires, motor vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents and technical rescue calls.
When dealing with emergencies, we believe the best course of action is to prevent these emergencies from happening, which is why you’ll find us working with the community to promote home and personal fire safety.
Residential fire safety
When a fire occurs, there is no time to waste. That is why it is important to discuss fire safety with your family and create a plan for escaping from a fire.
- Draw a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of every room - especially sleeping areas.
- Discuss the escape routes with every member of your household.
- Agree on a meeting place outside your home where every member of the household will gather to wait for the fire department. This allows you to count heads and inform the fire department if anyone is trapped inside the burning building.
- Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
- Have a fire drill in your home: appoint someone to be a monitor and have everyone participate. A fire drill is not a race. Get out quickly, but carefully. Make your exit drill realistic. Pretend that some exits are blocked by fire and practice alternative escape routes. Pretend that the lights are out and that some escape routes are filling with smoke.
Additionally, a working smoke alarm is one of the easiest, most cost effective ways to protect your family in the event of a house fire. A working smoke alarm will increase your chances of surviving a house fire by 74 per cent.
Other resources
Commercial fire safety
Fire department inspectors will visit commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential properties at least once a year to perform fire inspections.
After the inspection, the inspector will:
- Go over the inspection report with you and point out areas that need correction.
- Indicate a time frame in which the corrections must be completed.
- Require follow-up verification, usually by phone, that the required work has been completed.
- If necessary, re-visit the premises for re-inspection.
Seasonal fire safety
For additional fire safety tip sheets, please visit the National Fire Protection Association.