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Fire Prevention Week in Saskatchewan

by Shanine Sealey

Fire Prevention Week takes place each October, with this year occurring from October 3 to 9. This year’s theme, Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety, is being bolstered by a new, made-in-Saskatchewan activity book, which is being distributed to Kindergarten to Grade 5 students across the province this week.

“The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) and the Saskatchewan Association of Fire Chiefs (SAFC) collaborated to create the Fire Safety Activity Book,” said Saskatchewan Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Christine Tell. “This is the first educational resource of its kind to be developed and distributed entirely in Saskatchewan in many years.” The Fire Safety Activity Book, along with other fire prevention resources, is available for download at https://www.saskpublicsafety.ca/2021-fire-prevention-week.

In Martensville, typically the local Fire Department hosts an Open House during Fire Prevention Week; however due to COVID, this will not be taking place this year. Instead, the Martensville Fire Department (MFD) and the Martensville Library have teamed up to help share information regarding fire prevention awareness within the community.

Throughout the week, goodie bags are available for the kids while supplies last, as well as prize draws, fire themed crafts and Look and Find in the Park. Until October 10th, stop by the library to get your Look and Find paper, then visit Andrea’s Park to play. Once complete, return it to the library to enter to win a prize.
Additionally, the MFD will be sharing information regarding fire safety via social media, which will include things that can be done at home such as testing fire alarms, fire escape plans, ensuring you have a working fire extinguisher, etc.

“This year’s theme is all about learning the sounds of fire safety, which means ensuring you know the sounds in your house, school, workplace, church, etc. It is so important to know those alarms and what to do when they go off. Different alarms make different sounds whether it means that a battery needs to be replaced, or it is coming to the end of it’s lifespan, or in the case of a continuous beep that something is wrong and you need to get out,” MFD Deputy Fire Chief Dean Brooman explained.

Brooman noted that there are many things you can do to help ensure your safety in addition to knowing what the sounds of your alarms mean. Firstly, having inter-connected alarms is beneficial so that when one goes off, the rest follow. These can be hard-wired in, or a wireless option can also be purchased. Making a note of the life expectancy date on your smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms so you can replace them when needed, as well as checking your batteries regularly is also important. Brooman added that checking your alarms monthly to ensure they are working is good practice, as well as giving them the occasional vacuum to remove dust.

“These alarms aren’t always something we are thinking about, but they make a big difference in an emergency situation, so installing them properly, being familiar with their sounds and checking them regularly could absolutely save a life,” Brooman stated.

For more information regarding local Fire Prevention Week activities and information, visit the ‘Martensville Library’ and the ‘Martensville Fire Department’ on Facebook.

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