Staff

To celebrate Fire Prevention Week, The Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service held a poster contest, for students in Grades 1 to 3.

One lucky winner from each grade received a fire prevention prize pack, and a pizza party for their class. A total of 48 students took part in the contest, from St Mary and J.W. Walker schools in Fort Frances.

The winner in the First Grade Division is Nolan Kadikoff, of J.W.Walker School, for his submission “Hear the Beep, Where you Sleep.” He was the winner from 12 submissions.

MacKenzie Degange won the second grade competition, from a pool of 20 competitors. The St. Mary student’s poster promoted the wisdom “In a fire, get low and go.”

J.W. Walker School’s Maelle Easton took the top prize for the third grade division, earning the top spot from a pool of 16 artists, to send a clear and colourfully written message to kids, that “matches and lighters are not toys. Do not play with them. Give them to adults.”

Way to go for so many posters submitted, and congratulations to the winners!

Fire prevention Week took place October 5-10. This year’s theme was “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!” According to the National Fire Prevention Association, cooking is the number one cause of house fires and home fire injuries, and unattended cooking is the leading cause of kitchen fires.

Fire Prevention Week started in 1925 to raise awareness about preventable fires in and around the home, and to educate citizens on fire safety. It is held each year across North America during the week of October 9, to Commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which killed 250 people, left 100,000 homeless and destroyed more than 17,400 structures and 2,000 acres of land.

Each year in Canada, there are approximately 24,000 house fires, resulting in an average of 377 deaths and 3,048 injuries, according to SGI Canada. Working smoke alarms are found in two thirds of fatal fires in this country, according to the insurance company’s website.

 

Kitchen fires are common and preventable

According to SGI Canada, kitchen fires are the leading cause of house fires in Canada. Here are some tips to help prevent disaster:

• Have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen for small fires, and learn how to use it. If a grease fire occurs, remember to never use water as this will cause the hot grease to splatter, burning you or spreading the fire. Instead, smother it with a lid or another pan, then turn off the burner.

• Install a working fire alarm

• Consider installing special stove top burners that have a high end heat limiting technology (HEHLT) on them which prevent the element from getting to a flammable temperature.

 

Protect your home and family

Source: SGIcanada.ca

Take these measures in order to protect your family and home from the leading causes of fire loss:

• Prepare a fire escape plan for your family, outlining designated escape routes and a safe meeting place outside of your home.

• Teach your family fire safety and practice your fire plan frequently.

• Install smoke alarms and check them monthly to make sure they’re working. Remember to change the batteries yearly.

• Never smoke in bed or in a place where you may fall asleep. Ensure all hot embers are in an ashtray and are extinguished before emptying it into the trash.

• Never leave a burning candle unattended and learn how to burn candles safely.

• Keep portable fire escape ladders in all upstairs bedrooms.

• Store matches and lighters in a safe place, up high and out of the reach of children.

• Never run cords under rugs or heavy furniture.

• Inspect your home for fire hazards, such as overloaded electrical circuits, light bulbs with greater wattages than a light fixture is rated for or combustible items (like newspapers, cardboard and rags). Keep any combustible items away from all portable space heaters, water heaters, furnaces or other heat sources.

• Always store flammable liquids in an approved container designed to store the liquid and keep it in a locked, detached shed. Wipe up any spills immediately and never refuel motors near heat sources, sparks or cigarettes. Never use gasoline in your home or basement.

• If you operate a wood-burning appliance or fireplace, become thoroughly familiar with its safe operation and maintenance, and learn how to burn wood safely.