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Taking Action on Fire Protection

Fire Protection is a Collective Effort

The risk of fire is one of the greatest threats to health and safety, property and the delivery of essential services. Industry, government, employers and employees share in the responsibility of protecting Canadians from the consequences of fire.

Statistics show that every year hundreds of Canadians lose their lives or suffer injuries, while more than one billion dollars in property is lost due to fire. Because fire prevention is everybody’s business, awareness of the hazards and the ways to minimize risk is crucial.

Being Prepared is Half the Battle

Fire safety education, pre-planning and practising evacuation procedures are key to maintaining a fire-safe environment. These three aspects of fire safety and prevention ensure that people are prepared and able to respond appropriately when a fire emergency occurs.

Understanding the common causes of fire is the first step in fire prevention. Fire-related tragedies are often the result of people not knowing how to react, and not taking the right steps in an emergency.

Fire safety planning ensures optimal preparedness. A building fire safety plan must contain information on the fire alarm system and evacuation procedures, with a strong emphasis on encouraging people not to panic under any circumstances. Actively communicating the plan to all occupants in advance will greatly reduce the risks of injury and loss should a fire start on the premises.

What We Do

The Labour Program promotes compliance with national fire protection standards within the federal government and First Nations communities. It does so through Fire Protection Services (FPS), the federal government’s technical authority in the area of fire protection.

FPS provides services related to the application of the National Building Code of Canada, the National Fire Code of Canada, and the Treasury Board Fire Protection Standard. FPS also issues a variety of related technical standards and guidelines.

Its mandate is to minimize the risk of fire, with the goal of protecting and conserving life and property, while preserving essential services and the Government of Canada’s financial interests.

FPS offers fire engineering services and inspection services to federal government departments and to major public buildings within First Nations communities. It also offers these services to certain Crown corporations and federal agencies.

In addition, FPS provides investigation and reporting services related to the cause and circumstances of fires that occur in federal buildings.

FPS does not, however, supply fire protection services to the Department of National Defence. These services are provided by the Canadian Forces Fire Marshal.

Promoting Safety

The Labour Program is also involved in Fire Prevention Week, a national annual initiative held in the fall, to create awareness in the areas of fire safety, fire prevention and loss control.

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Date Modified:

2011-09-23