Fire Prevention Week

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Fire Prevention Week is scheduled in early October. 

The theme of Fire Prevention Week 2008 was "Prevent Home Fires!"  It's not enough to have a home fire escape plan [PDF, 649 KB].  To escape safely, you've got to make sure that everyone in the home has practiced the plan.

Maple Ridge Fire Department plans several activities planned for the week, including an Open House, the Panago Pizza Partnership, "Sign Up the Community" contest and "Fire Chief for the Day".

Fire Hall Open House

Join your local firefighters at the fire hall for a day of fun and activities. Take a tour, sit in the trucks, learn how to use a fire hose, watch firefighters demonstrate auto extrication, and much more. Fire Hall #1 has some special activities for everyone to enjoy.

Firefighters will share their experiences with you and answer your questions about fire safety and fire survival. This is a fun day so please come meet your local firefighters, join in the activities and of course bring your camera.

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Fire Chief's Message

As firefighters, we all too often witness terrible tragedies as the result of fire and accidents. While we are saddened by these tragedies, they also serve to build our resolve to do everything in our power to educate the public how to prevent them. Some of the very simplest tasks, such as installing a working smoke alarm can have a dramatic effect on the outcome of a house fire. As we observe Fire Prevention Week this year, I encourage everyone to take time out of their busy lives to consider what is really important to them and how they can preserve and protect it. At a minimum I urge you to take time to complete the following simple tasks during Fire Prevention Week:

1. Test all the smoke alarms in your residence to make sure they are working. You should have one alarm located on every level of your home and outside the sleeping areas.
2. Prepare and practice a fire escape plan for your family; every member of your family should know what to do when fire strikes and where to meet. It is not uncommon for parents to risk their lives searching for children that are already out of the house.
3. Never leave your cooking unattended and made sure you have a tight fitting lid close by when you are cooking with oil. Oil and grease fires burn very fast and hot and can cause serious burns if you try to move them or put water on them.
4. Store all flammables like gasoline or propane outside your home.
5. Keep all combustible materials well away from the front of furnaces and hot water tanks.
6. Never leave candles unattended.

As part of our resolve to get the message out, the firefighters have scheduled several events for Fire Prevention Week including fire drills at all the schools, checking and installing smoke alarms, partnering with business to have fire safety messages displayed on message boards and culminating in an Open House at our Fire Halls #1 and #3. I would invite you to drop in at one of our Open Houses, not only for the refreshments and photo opportunities but also to ask our firefighters questions about fire safety and see our many displays and presentations. I guarantee you that you will not only have a good time, but you will also walk away with valuable knowledge on how to protect yourself and your family from fire and accidents.

And last, but not least, when you attend our Fire Halls, please take time to thank our firefighters for all they do. They are a very caring and dedicated bunch and I am proud of their commitment to service the citizens of Maple Ridge.

Chief P. Grootendorst

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Fire Chief for the Day

All Maple Ridge students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 will receive a booklet with activities to teach them about fire safety.  Schools are also eligible for prizes for educational activities and/or supplies. One boy and one girl are chosen to be Fire Chief for a Day. 

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Panago Pizza Partnership

Each evening during Fire Prevention Week, firefighters will accompany a Panago delivery driver on randomly selected orders. If the customer has a working smoke alarm and a family escape plan then their order is free! If not, the fire department will install a working smoke alarm for them after they pay for their Panago order. Last year, every order was free!

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