Safety continued to be a message being promoted in district schools this fall as students in kindergarten to Grade 8 learned from the “Risk Watch” program first established here five years ago.
“This year is pretty much the same,” said program co-ordinator Greg Allan, who also is a firefighter with the Fort Frances Fire Department.
“All schools in Fort Frances are using ‘Risk Watch’ or components of it,” he added, noting district fire departments are responsible for promoting it at their respective schools, but that materials are provided to all free of charge.
“This year, we were hoping to have a Canadian edition of the materials ready, but there were some copyright issues,” Allan remarked. “I’ve been assured they’ll be ready for next year.”
He noted the resource materials, originally from the U.S., are being re-formatted in accordance with the Public Safety Council and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office.
“They will include Canadian statistics, and there’s some differences in the way things are taught in U.S. and Canada,” said Allan.
He added that while “Risk Watch” generally has coincided with the Ministry of Education curriculum since it was launched in 1999, the revised version would be even moreso.
Allan also said he’s getting a French Immersion version of the “Risk Watch” program lined up.
The program also got a bit of a boost this year as local firefighter Wayne Riches recently became a certified public educator. As such, he will be dedicating more time to promoting “Risk Watch” from now on.
Paramedic Donna Adrian of the Fort Frances Ambulance Service also came on board last year to lend a hand with some of the modules in the schools.
“Risk Watch” first was introduced in the district (also a first for the province) as a pilot program in 1999-2000, when 28 teachers agreed to participate.
After garnering great reviews from teachers, parents, and both the local public and separate school boards, the program took off the next year—and hasn’t slowed down since.
“Risk Watch” targets the eight-leading causes of injury to children, including fires and burns, motor vehicle crashes, choking, suffocation, and strangulation, poisoning, falls, firearms accidents, water hazards, and bike and pedestrian hazards.
Information is incorporated into weekly lesson slots as part of students’ regular health class time.
While the instruction mainly is carried out by teachers, with the aid of learning materials, local firefighters and paramedics occasionally appear at district schools to offer their expertise, as well.
The students’ knowledge then is tracked with tests administered before and after the course.
“Risk Watch” is a co-operative effort between the Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition, Fort Frances Fire Brigade, Rainy River District Mutual Aid Association, Fort Frances Ambulance Service, Northwestern Health Unit, OPP, Memorial Sports Centre, Abitibi-Consolidated, Gillons’ Insurance, and the Fort Frances Kiwanis Club.
Various school councils and numerous minor sponsors also are involved.
Fort Frances Times
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