The Toronto Fire Services recommends that residents of high-rise buildings purchase a survival kit, readily available if they become trapped during a fire.

Having the following items available for emergency use may improve your chances of surviving a fire.

You can purchase the following list of items for less than $50:

• Wet towel – Place at the base of a door.
• Duct tape – Tape over door and vent openings.
• Foil wrap – Use to cover vent openings.
• Whistle – Use to signal for help.
• Flashlight – Use in case of power failure, smoke, or to signal for help.
• Bright-coloured cloth – Hang up in a window, or on a balcony, to identify your location.
• Ink marker – Use for messages on cloth, door or windows.
• Cotton bedsheet – If smoke is heavy in your room, soak the bed sheet with water and make a tent near an open window.
• Washcloth – Place the wet cloth over your mouth and nose to aid breathing in smoke-filled areas.
• Fire safety plan – Have a copy of your building’s emergency procedures available.
• Plastic pail with lid – Use for storing survival equipment. (Fill with water during a fire)

For more information about high-rise residential fire safety, please visit the City of Toronto’s website here.