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Fire Safety at the Cabin With Kidde Canada

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VANCOUVER -

Roughly one-quarter of Canadians will spend at least some of their summer vacation at a cabin.

Kidde fire safety educator Sharon Cooksey joined CTV Morning Live to share tips for a safer summer.

One element Cooksey addressed was that many Canadian adults don't know how to properly use fire safety equipment.

A new survey commissioned by Kidde and conducted online by the Harris Poll, found that among 1,021 Canadian adults, 75 per cent do not know or were unsure how to use a fire extinguisher correctly.

On the show Cooksey demonstrated the steps and the acronym PASS; pull, aim, squeeze and sweep are the steps cabin-goers need to remember.

When it comes to fire extinguisher placement, Cooksey had these recommendations:

  • one on every level of the cabin, including the basement if there is one;
  • one in the kitchen, within reach of the stovetop or oven;
  • one in the boathouse and one onboard the boat; and
  • one within reach of the barbecue.

When it comes to barbecue safety, Cooksey reminded viewers that barbecues should be at least 10 feet from the cabin exterior.

This will help protect the cabin's exterior material, which could catch fire or melt, but also prevent carbon monoxide from entering living spaces.

Barbecuing should only be done outdoors and never in a garage.

Not only can barbecuing in a garage create fire hazards, but a gas barbecue can produce carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide can easily move through drywall, open windows, vents and ducts.

Cooksey says alarm maintenance is just as important as fire prevention. Smoke alarms should be replaced after 10 years and carbon monoxide alarms every seven to10 years.

Alarms should be placed on every level of the cabin, as well as inside and outside of each sleeping area.

For more tips from Kidde Fire safety educator Sharon Cooksey, check out the full video from CTV Morning Live.

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