This is one team that could save your life.

If a fire ever strikes your home, you can be sure local fire fighters will respond, immediately.  but they need our help in keeping communities safe from fire.  The more people know about preventing and surviving an unwanted fire, the better off we'll all be.  That's why the theme of this year's Fire Prevention Week is "Team Up for Fire Safety."  The campaign focuses on safety lessons that everyone can lean: installing and testing smoke alarms, practicing home escape plans, and hunting for home hazards.

How can you be part of the team?  Easy, you're already part of one.  At work, at school, in your neighborhood, anywhere you live, work, or play in a group is an opportunity to work together to lean how to protect your home and family from fire.

During the last year, we've become more aware than ever about the importance of feeling safe and secure.  But the same homes in which so many of us seek refuge are not free of fire risk.  By teaming up for fire safety, we can make our homes safer, and ensure that our families are better prepared than ever to prevent or survive a home fire.  So what are you waiting for? Join the team!

Keeping your home safe from fire is everybody's responsibility.

Never leave cooking food or burning candles unattended

Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn.

Screen your fireplace to contain sparks.

Have your heating system serviced by a pro once a year.

Have your chimney inspected once a year and cleaned if necessary.

Keep matches and lighters locked up high, away from children.

Have smokers use large, deep, non-tip ashtrays.

Keep curtains, rubbish, and anything else that can burn at least three feet away from your stove.

Keep counter-top appliances in good repair (cords too).

Make sure your fuses or circuit breakers match the loads on your home's electrical wiring.

Protect bathroom and kitchen electrical outlets with ground-fault circuit-interrupters (GFCIs).

Be sure everyone in your home knows the sound of the smoke alarms.

Install working smoke alarms on every floor of your home (including the basement) and inside or near every sleeping area.

Install ceiling-mounted alarms at least four inches away from the nearest wall.  Install wall-mounted alarms four to 12 inches away from the ceiling.

Test your smoke alarms (use the test button) once a month.

Replace batteries once a year or whenever battery power is low.

Never "borrow" a smoke alarm battery.

Vacuum your smoke alarms regularly.

Never paint a smoke alarm.

Replace any smoke alarms that more than 10 years old.

Make sure everyone at home knows the sound of your smoke alarms.  Newer models feature a universal signal patter called the "temporal three" - three beeps followed by a one-and-a-half second pause.