Andrew Marchand started his company called Help Inc in 2023 a year after he lost his aunt in a Halifax house fire.
At the end of a social get together, when everyone went home and she went to sleep with a disabled smoke detector, a smoldering cigarette butt turned into a blaze that consumed her home and took her life.
“That’s when I decided I have background in facilities planning, this happened to me, how can I help other people so it doesn’t happen to them,” he said. “I know from work experience that if you have an industrial setting or commercial (setting), you have to have emergency preparedness plan.
“When I was looking at the residential side, there’s nothing,” he added, “it’s almost like here’s your keys, enjoy your home.”
Marchand works with homeowners and realtors to build emergency plans for everyone in the house. He says it’s important to come up with safe exit routes for …