Seasonal Fire Prevention

• Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors.
• The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
• Never leave your grill unattended.
• Always make sure your gas grill lid is open before lighting it.

• Make sure the propane tank is properly connected and open the valve
• Spread a soapy solution on all propane tank fittings, including the valve on the hose
• When bubbles appear and become larger or increase in number it means there's a leak
• Never check for a propane leak using an open flame

Watch this video from NFPA to learn more about testing your grill for leaks.

• You need to transport propane tanks in an upright position with the valve plugs in place. Make sure there is good ventilation.
• You can place propane tanks inside a container that keeps them from moving around in the trunk of your vehicle. Secure the trunk with something that will let it stay opened slightly for ventilation.
• The floor of the rear passenger side of your vehicle is another option as long as the tank is not moving around and the rear windows are open.

• Store your propane tanks outside, in a well ventilated, secure location
• Keep your head away from the valves on your tank because a sudden burst of propane liquid from the safety valve could result in serious injury or frostbite
• Keep your tank painted a white, aluminium or another reflective colour to reflect sunlight which can cause the tank to heat up and increase in pressure
• Ask propane suppliers to check for dents, damage, rust or leaks before refilling a tank
• Check the date stamp on the collar of the tank to see when it was last approved, propane tanks must be inspected and re-qualified or replaced every 10 years in Canada

Follow these important steps if you think there is a propane leak nearby:

• Turn off the supply of propane from the tank and leave the area right away
• Remove all smoking materials (cigarettes, cigars, etc.) and open flames
• Don't light matches or make any other source of fire or sparks
• Don't touch electrical switches
• Don't operate flashlights or telephones
• Move up-wind, away from the smell right away
• After you are away from the area, call 9-1-1 to report the leak
• Don't go back to the area until a professional says it's safe

Barbecues are a great way to spend time with family and friends in the summer and these safety tips will help you barbecue safely.

Richmond Hill's Open Air Burning By-Law does not allow camp fires. Before setting up a campfire anywhere else, be sure it is allowed. If you are at a cottage or camping, check with your local fire department.

Campfires bring family and friends together, but campfire mishaps can cause injuries. With a few safety tips, you can prevent these accidents.

• If campfires are permitted, they need to be at least 25 feet away from any structure and anything that can burn.
• Clear away dry leaves and sticks, overhanging low branches and shrubs.
• Avoid burning on windy, dry days. It is easier for open burning to spread out of control when it is windy and dry.
• Watch children while the fire is burning. Never let children or pets play or stand too close to the fire.
• Attend to the campfire at all times. A campfire left alone for only a few minutes can grow into a damaging fire.
• Keep a campfire small which is easier to control.
• Never use gasoline or other flammable or combustible liquids.
• Always have a hose, bucket of water, or shovel and dirt or sand nearby to put out the fire. Make sure to put it completely out before leaving the site.
• If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop, and roll. Stop, drop to the ground and cover your face with your hands. Roll over and over or back and forth until the fire is out.
• Treat a burn right away. Cool the burn with cool water for 3 to 5 minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth. Get medical help if needed.
• If roasting marshmallows, help young children. Never shake a roasting marshmallow. It can turn into a flying, flaming ball. A heated metal skewer can cause burns.

In a fire, seconds count. A fire engine holds about two to five minutes’ worth of water. When that is used up, hydrants become indispensable, as every passing second allows a fire to grow. When fire hydrants are covered in snow, or hidden behind trees and shrubs, it can delay fire services, costing crucial seconds or minutes that can mean the difference between saving a structure and its inhabitants and not doing so.

A hydrant needs space below its valve, and approximately 1 metre of space all around it. This space allows fire fighters to attach hoses to the valve and rotate the hydrant wrench. 

The City maintains over 4,500 fire hydrants ensuring they are in operation for firefighters in the event of a fire. 

Summer Maintenance

When the Fire department needs to use a hydrant, it is important that they can gain access to one easily. Please remember:

• Ensure vegetation around or near the hydrant does not impede access (e.g. landscaping, shrubs, trees, etc.)
• Do not put up fences, walls or any structure within one metre of a hydrant
• Do not place anything between a hydrant and the street, so the hydrant can be easily seen by the firefighters

Winter Maintenance

In the winter months, it’s especially important to be conscious of how snow-covered fire hydrants. Although there are few rules concerning who should clear hydrants, it’s generally considered the responsibility of the residents occupying property near a hydrant.

Fire hydrant markers make fire hydrants easier to locate in emergencies, at night and in snowy conditions, and are placed on hydrants in areas where we expect a fair amount of snow accumulation. Markers may make them easier to find, and hydrants are checked on throughout the winter months by City crews, but with over 4,500 hydrants we need your help to keep them clear during snowfalls.

Adopt your local hydrant - the work of just a few minutes might later prove to be vital to the safety of you or your neighbours!

• Please make it a point to uncover your fire hydrant after every snowfall.
• Clear a path approximately 3 feet (1 metre) around the hydrant. This gives the fire department room to work with this hydrant should the need arise.
• Please consider helping a neighbour who is elderly or has a medical condition by shovelling out a hydrant in front of their home. This act of kindness will benefit the entire neighbourhood.

We encourage you to be a hydrant hero this winter and keep your local hydrant clear of snow. Clearing 1 metre around a hydrant maintains access for our firefighters and helps them keep you, your family and your community safe.

Contractors are reminded to not pile snow over or against hydrants when clearing pathways and driveways in the winter.

Receive a Hydrant Hero certificate!

Have you cleared a hydrant? Request an electronic Hydrant Hero certificate by completing the form below! 

Hydrant Hero Certificate Request Form

Thank you for helping to keep your community safe.

Every year, fireworks cause hundreds of fires, injuries and even deaths. Because of this, the fire service does not encourage the use of fireworks. The only safe way to enjoy fireworks is to go to a public fireworks display.

Richmond Hill also has a Fireworks By-Law, which regulates the use of fireworks. 

Visit our Fireworks Permits and Safety Tips page to learn more.

Halloween Safety

Halloween is a fun, and spooky, time of year for kids. Make trick-or-treating safe for your little monsters with a few easy safety tips. 

• When choosing a costume, stay away from long trailing fabric. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so he or she can see out.
• Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume.
• Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper catch fire easily. Keep all decorations away from open flames and other heat sources like light bulbs and heaters.
• Use a battery-operated candle or glow-stick in jack-o-lanterns. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit.
• Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough out of the way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
• Make sure all smoke alarms in the home are working.
• Tell children to stay away from open flames including jack-o-lanterns with candles in them. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice, stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out.)

Heating Safety

Heating equipment is one of the leading cause of home fires in Ontario. Stay fire safe while staying warm this winter.

We want our community to stay safe during the holiday season so you can enjoy every minute. Unfortunately, the number of fires and fire deaths increases during the holiday season. Following a few simple tips will ensure a happy and fire-safe holiday season.

Student Safety

Going to college is an exciting time for students and their parents. Living in a new “home away from home” not only gives young adults more freedom to make their own choices, but it also provides them an increased level of personal responsibility while at school. When it comes to on- and off-campus housing, it’s important for students and parents to keep fire safety top of mind. 

College students living away from home should take a few minutes to make sure they are living in a fire-safe environment. Educating students on what they can do to stay safe during the school year is important and often overlooked. College students living away from home should take a few minutes to make sure they are living in a fire-safe environment. Educating students on what they can do to stay safe during the school year is important and often overlooked.

Safety Tips:

• Look for fully sprinklered housing when choosing a dorm or off-campus housing.
• Make sure you can hear the building alarm system when you are in your dorm room.
• If you live in a dormitory, make sure your sleeping room has a smoke alarm, or your dormitory suite has a smoke alarm in each living area as well as the sleeping room. For the best protection, all smoke alarms in the dormitory suite should be interconnected so that when one sounds, they all sound.
• If you live in an apartment or house, make sure smoke alarms are installed in each sleeping room, outside every sleeping area, and on each level of the apartment unit or house. For the best protection, all smoke alarms in the apartment unit or house should be interconnected 
• so that when one sounds, they all sound.
• Test all smoke alarms at least monthly.
• Never remove batteries or disable the alarm.
• Learn your building’s evacuation plan and practice all drills as if they were the real thing.
• If you live off campus, have a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room.
• When the smoke alarm or fire alarm sounds, get out of the building quickly and stay out.
• Stay in the kitchen when cooking.
• Cook only when you are alert, not sleepy or drowsy from medicine or alcohol.
• Check with your local fire department for any restrictions before using a barbeque grill, fire pit, or chimenea.
• Check your school’s rules before using electrical appliances in your room.
• If you smoke, smoke outside and only where it is permitted, Use sturdy, deep, non-tip ashtrays. Don’t smoke in bed or when you’ve been drinking or are drowsy.
• Burn candles only if the school permits their use. A candle is an open flame and should be placed away from anything that can burn. Never leave a candle unattended. Blow it out when you leave the room or go to sleep.

Check to see how fire-safe you are being with this Fire Safety Checklist for Students from NFPA.