Safety starts at home

Register vulnerable household members for VFRS' free registry

An emergency can happen anywhere at any time, and it's important to make sure everyone in your household knows what to do - including those who may need additional assistance.

Did you know that Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) offers a free voluntary Vulnerable Persons Registry for Vaughan residences? If someone in your household is elderly or has a medical, mental health or physical condition that requires help getting to safety, the fire department references this registry to provide special assistance to those who need it during an emergency.

Note, the City of Vaughan's registry is separate from York Regional Police's registry.

You can sign up onlineto have your loved ones added to the list - make sure to sign up and update this information every year to confirm the person still resides at the location on record.

The best way to make sure everyone in your household knows how to respond in an emergency is by making and practising a home escape plan(PDF). Follow these steps from VFRS:

• Ensure your home has working smoke alarms and test all alarms at least once a month by pressing the test button.

• Draw your home's floor plan, including all doors, windows and stairs for each level, and note any features that could help you escape, such as a garage or balcony.

• Mark at least two escape routes from each room so if the door is blocked, you know another way out.

• Review the plan with everyone in your household - including visitors - and walk through the escape routes for each room.

• Ensure that everyone in your home knows where to meet outside, at a location where firefighters can see you, such as a street sign or mailbox. Once at the meeting location, call 9-1-1 and wait for the fire department to arrive. A meeting place will allow you to count everyone and inform firefighters if anyone is still inside.

• Never go back into a burning building.

For more information and fire safety tips, visit vaughan.ca/fire.

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