Fire Prevention Week takes place each October and is a way to help remind people to take some extra time to ensure themselves and their loved ones are prepared in the event of a fire; whether that be by planning an escape plan, installing and maintaining smoke alarms and CO detectors, educating children about fire safety, and more.
This year, Fire Prevention Week takes place from October 9-15 and marks the 100th anniversary for the initiative, making it the longest running public health and safety observance on record.
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) is celebrating this milestone by hosting a poster contest for students in Grades 4-8 that will run until October 28th. Winning entries will be showcased on the SPSA website and Facebook page. Learn more at saskpublicsafety.ca.
“When fires happen, Saskatchewan’s professional and volunteer firefighters are ready to respond,” Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) Minister Christine Tell said. “When these brave individuals aren’t putting their lives on the line to fight fires, they are training and promoting fire prevention in their communities.”
This year’s theme for Fire Prevention Week is “Don’t Wait. Plan Your Escape.”, which highlights the importance of having an escape plan in place in case of a fire.
“Everyone should have a plan to escape their home in case of a fire, and that plan should be well practiced. You and your loved ones might only have a couple minutes to escape. It is crucial to know what to do during a fire,” Saskatchewan Fire Commissioner Marlo Pritchard explained.
Each year, in honor of Fire Prevention Week, the Martensville Fire Department hosts an Open House to provide the community with a chance to visit the fire hall and learn more about the local department, and enjoy some burgers and hot dogs while they are at it.
Those attending will have an opportunity to see the trucks and equipment used on a regular basis up close, view a firefighting demonstration; ask questions, and more during this event, which takes place on October 12th at 5pm.
The MFD is currently looking for new recruits to join the department, and Deputy Fire Chief Dean Brooman stated that this is a great way for anyone interested to come out and learn more about the Martensville Fire Department.
“We have always been really fortunate when we are hiring and don’t seem to have a shortage of applicants, but unfortunately, we can’t hire everyone. If there are people interested in applying, the Open House is a good way to see what we have going on here,” Brooman stated.
“This event is always one of our favorites as it gives us a chance to do something different and interact with the community. It also gives us a chance to work together to put this event on, so it is really a good opportunity for us to build as a team as well,” Brooman said.
Currently, there are 31 members on the Martensville Fire Department and this year, as of Wednesday, October 5th, there have been 300 calls that the local department has attended this year, with 203 of those being medical calls, 15 motor vehicle collisions and the remaining calls fire related.
To learn more about the Martensville Fire Department, visit them on Facebook, or visit www.martensville.ca.
