Ontario unveils on-farm fire safety resources

The Ontario government recently unveiled new resources to help farmers reduce the risk of barn fires this winter, the time when most barn fires occur.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs released a series of new videos on ways to prevent barn fires.

The videos are part of an ongoing effort with farmers and industry to develop different ways to reduce the potential loss of human and animal lives, injury and property damage from barn fires.

Visit Ontario.capreventfarmfires to learn more about preventing barn fires, and to view these recently added resources:

• factsheet on the 10 ways to reduce the risk of barn fires
• video on good housekeeping practices in barns
• video on safety practices regarding electrical equipment
• video on safety practices when performing hotworks such as welding, grinding and torching

Preparation and planning are also crucial in barn fire prevention:

• Have a contingency plan ready to deal with any emergency.
• Develop a preventative maintenance and housekeeping schedule.
• Have buildings inspected and maintained regularly by a licensed electrical contractor.
• Work with the local fire department and insurance company to identify any problem areas, and fix those problems.
• Train family and employees on what to do if there is a barn fire.