Fire prevention week focuses on the importance smoke alarms

September 30, 2010

(Red Deer, Alberta) – Fire Prevention Week has a long history with the fire departments across Canada and aims to make citizens more aware of fire prevention practices, and to keep them safe from the devastation of fire. Officials developed Fire Prevention Week as a means to educate the community, and as a reminder of the tragic circumstances that fire can bring when you are not prepared.

Fire Prevention Week is North America’s longest running public health and safety campaign on record. Through the years many themes were adopted to highlight different safety messages. This year from October 3rd to October 9th the theme focuses on the need to have working smoke alarms in the home.

“The theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Week is smoke alarms: a sound you can live with,” said Wes Van Bavel, Fire Prevention Officer with Red Deer Emergency Services department. “Our firefighters are looking forward to meeting with children and local residents this weekend and talking about the importance fire safety in your home and where you work, we will also have two live displays for residents to see first hand, how destructive fire can truly be.”

Red Deer Emergency Services will be holding a community BBQ to kick off the 15th Annual Fire Prevention Week Open House:

WHEN:	Saturday, October 2, 2010
TIME:	11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WHERE:	Fire Station #1 4941 46 Street

Along with the open house, RDES will be meeting with grade three and grade five students throughout the year to promote fire safety.

Fire Prevention Week was established to remember the destructive Chicago fire on October 9, 1871 that killed more than 250 people and left 100,000 homeless. Fire Prevention Week was officially proclaimed in Canada in 1919 to commemorate the Chicago blaze, as well as the major fire that destroyed the Centre Block of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa on February 3, 1916.

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For more information, please contact:

Wes Van Bavel
Fire Prevention Officer
Red Deer Emergency Services
403-356-2457