Every second counts: Augmented reality tool helps train Canadians for home fire emergencies

Kidde’s Cause For Alarm “Prepare. Plan. Practice.”, a first-of-its-kind digital simulator, brings fire safety training into the home — no downloads required.

The following joint news release has been issued on behalf of Kidde, the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council, and the Ontario Association of Fire Educators (OAFE).

TORONTO, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Home fires now burn with alarming speed, up to 8 times faster than 50 years ago¹, yet many Canadians are unprepared to react quickly enough. Almost 7 out 10 Canadians (69%) believe they have more time to escape than what fire experts say is the reality: 2 minutes or less. This dangerous misconception means many won’t be ready for a fire at home, and when every second counts, being prepared with working smoke alarms and an escape plan could be the difference between life and death.  

Kidde, a trusted leader in fire safety for more than 100 years, is expanding its annual Cause For Alarm™ campaign, a global fire safety education initiative, with the launch of Prepare. Plan. Practice., a free tool that uses augmented reality (AR) technology to bring fire safety to life. It offers a first-of-its-kind at-home digital fire drill simulator that helps users build essential skills, improve awareness and learn how to react quickly in a home fire emergency.

“By leveraging cutting-edge AR technology, this tool makes essential fire safety education more accessible, engaging, and actionable,” explains Ivanette Bonilla, Kidde’s Chief Communications and Government Relations Officer. “Children may participate in up to 10 fire drills at school each year, but few families practice fire safety at home where fires are more likely to happen — underscoring the need to bring this experience into households to help families prepare together.”

Prepare. Plan. Practice. is accessible to anyone through any smartphone or tablet browser, with no downloads, purchases or apps required. This gives Canadians a safe, yet realistic way to experience a home fire, learn room-by-room safety tips and practice an escape in real time against a 2-minute countdown. The experience features the following modes:

• Demonstration Mode kicks off the journey, using AR technology to simulate what a fire would look like in the user’s own room. This dramatization shows how quickly a fire can grow and spread in just two minutes.
• Learn Mode lets users explore a digital home and click through fire hazards, smoke alarm tips, carbon monoxide safety and more.
• Practice Mode guides users through creating a personalized escape plan, then simulates a fire with sound effects and a live 2-minute timer.
  • There’s even a “Kid Mode” for families with younger children, offering a less intense but equally educational version of the simulation.
• The tool also features a Safety Hub; upon users completing their experience, they are directed to this central resource hub that provides links to additional fire safety information, printable checklists, escape plan templates and other educational materials.

This tool was developed in consultation and collaboration with leading Canadian and international fire safety organizations who play a critical role in ensuring its accuracy, relevance and alignment with the fire safety needs of Canadians. Prepare. Plan. Practice. has the support of these organizations, including:

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council
• Ontario Association of Fire Educators (OAFE)

“It’s crucial that we continue to evolve the way we educate and prepare people for emergencies. Prepare. Plan. Practice. serves as a powerful example of how technology can be leveraged to help make life-saving fire safety knowledge more engaging, accessible, and actionable for today’s families,” says Laura King, Canadian Director, National Fire Protection Association^® (NFPA^®). “We’re proud to see messaging from NFPA’s Educational Messaging Advisory Committee Desk Reference — the global resource for public education messaging — incorporated into innovative solutions that help advance public safety.”

“At the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council, one of our goals has always been to make fire and life safety education widely accessible,” says Jamie Kovacs, Executive Director at the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council. “This invaluable new tool supports that mission by engaging families directly in their homes. It’s a powerful way to reinforce what kids learn at school and help close the gap in fire preparedness at home.”

Visit CauseForAlarm.org/Canada to access the free tool and take a critical step toward protecting yourself and your loved ones. You’ll also find a full suite of fire safety resources which include a children’s book titled Safety Saves the Day!, a children’s fire safety song, “Beeps that Last Get Out Fast”, and Kidde’s Fire Safety Toolkit, which is available in seven different languages.

Sources:

¹ FSRI, Comparison of Natural and Synthetic Home Furnishings, https://fsri.org/research/new-comparison-natural-and-synthetic-home-furnishings  

² Study commissioned by Kidde, facilitated by Maru Blue September 2024

³ Statistics Canada. “Incident-based fire statistics, by type of fire incident and type of structure,” 2017 to 2021.

⁴ Statistics Canada. “Unintentional fire-related deaths in Canada.” 2011 to 2020.

About Kidde

Kidde, a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and safety accessories, has been keeping the world a safer place for over 100 years. Kidde produced the first integrated smoke detection system a century ago and continues its legacy today by delivering advanced fire-safety technology. Kidde is a part of Kidde Global Solutions, a global leader in fire and life safety solutions. For more information, visit kiddecanada.com or follow @KiddeCanada on Facebook and Instagram.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more information, visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.

About the FMPFSC

The Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC) is a registered charity organization in Ontario dedicated to promoting fire prevention and public education across the province. Established in 1993, the Council collaborates with fire departments, community organizations, and private sector partners to enhance fire safety awareness and training initiatives.

About the OAFE

The Ontario Association of Fire Educators (OAFE) is a professional organization dedicated to supporting fire and life safety educators across the province. OAFE develops and delivers effective public education resources, advocates for fire safety awareness, and fosters professional growth through training, collaboration, and a strong provincial network.

For more information about:

Media Contact:

Stephanie Berzinski

[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bdfce560-0881-4d5d-acbe-215cc5d0a5d5

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