In the lead-up to Fire Prevention Week, which runs from Oct. 6 to Oct. 12, some fortunate youngsters had the unique opportunity to experience what it’s like to be “Fire Chief for a Day” at the regional fire hall in Trail.
Students from Rossland Summit School, École des Sept-Sommets, Webster Elementary, St. Michael’s, Glenmerry, and Fruitvale Elementary teamed up for a fun-filled day of fire safety activities before the week dedicated to raising fire safety awareness, ensuring every household is prepared for emergencies.
Demonstrating their teamwork, the kids practiced using a digital fire extinguisher, learned essential safety measures, and participated in a mock rescue.
For over 100 years, fire departments across North America — including Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue — have partnered with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week, to promote annual campaigns.
This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!”
The campaign emphasizes the importance of having functional smoke alarms in the home, as NFPA data shows that three out of five fire-related deaths occur in homes without smoke alarms or with non-functional ones.
According to the NFPA, working smoke alarms can reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half (54 percent).
Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue encourages all residents to support this year’s theme: “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!”
“Working smoke alarms can be life-saving in a home fire, giving people the time they need to escape safely,” said Captain Jason Milne. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign is a timely reminder for everyone to take action on these important safety messages.”
Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue shares these key smoke alarm safety tips:
• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area (such as a hallway), and on each level of the home, including the basement;
• Ensure smoke alarms accommodate all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities;
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pressing the test button;
• Replace smoke alarms when they reach 10 years of age.
In the weeks leading up to Fire Prevention Week, Kootenay Boundary firefighters visited local schools, delivering fire safety messages to students from Kindergarten to Grade 4.
Fire Prevention Week is observed annually during the week of Oct. 9, commemorating the Great Chicago Fire, which began on Oct. 8, 1871.
The fire caused widespread devastation, claiming more than 250 lives, displacing 100,000 people, and destroying over 17,400 structures across 2,000 acres of land.
At the National Fire Protection Association’s 23rd annual meeting in Ottawa in May 1919, a resolution was passed urging the U.S. and Canadian governments to support a unified Fire Prevention Day, marking the origins of what is now Fire Prevention Week.
For more information about Fire Prevention Week and smoke alarms, visit fpw.org.
