Laser beams and Sparky the Fire Dog will be part of the fun when New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services opens its doors to the community for Fire Prevention Week.
In celebration of Fire Prevention Week, which runs from Oct. 9 to 15, New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services is holding an open house at the Glenbrook fire hall on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s the first time New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services has held its open house since 2019.
“It's a really nice free community event. Who doesn't like seeing a fire truck? All the fire trucks will be out in front and kids can go in them. There'll be tools to look at and different things,” said Christie Bruce, fire protection officer. “It’s going to be a bit more interactive this year. We're trying try a couple different things.”
Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes look at the some of the services provided by the fire department, and other city departments will have booths and vehicles at the event. Folks will be able to get information about fire and community safety, check out some equipment displays, visit with Sparky the Fire Dog, enjoy a (by donation) barbecue put on by the New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society and watch demonstrations.
“We have our live auto extrication demonstration once again,” Bruce said. “And we will also be offering fire extinguisher simulator demonstrations. Those will be done about every hour or so. It's a digital simulator so there's no live fire, and people can actually practise it. It's environmentally friendly. It works with like laser beams. It's a really cool piece of equipment that we were able to borrow from the Burnaby Fire Department.”
This year’s open house also includes a temporary tattoo station and an opportunity to participate in the creation of a mural for the fire hall. G&F Financial will be providing popcorn and Starbucks at Royal Square is donating hot chocolate.
“It’s going to be fun. It's an opportunity for people to come out and connect with once again with others in the community,” Bruce said. “There is fire safety messaging going on.”
Because of construction of the new aquatic and community centre on the site next to the fire hall, no on-site parking is available at the fire hall (1 East Sixth Ave.) so community members are asked to walk, wheel, bike or take transit to the event. There will be a designated area on-site for parking bikes.
The theme for Fire Prevention Week 2022 is “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.”
“Fire is very hot, and there won't be time to figure out what to do in the heat of the moment, no pun intended. So you really need to have your game plan in place,” Bruce said. “When you're creating your fire escape plan, it means to involve all members of your household because everybody offers a different perspective. And then it needs to be practised once or twice a year.”
Bruce said it’s always important to remind people of the need to have a working smoke alarm on every floor of their home.
"Vital" to be prepared
New Westminster city council has proclaimed Oct. 9 to 15 as Fire Prevention Week.
The city’s proclamation calls upon citizens to participate in fire prevention activities at home, work, and school, and to support the public safety activities and efforts of New Westminster’s Fire and Rescue Services. The proclamation states that fire is a serious public safety concern, and homes are the locations where people are at greatest risk from fire.
“Smoke alarms sense smoke well before you can, alerting you to danger in the event of fire in which you may have as little as two minutes to escape safely, and working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half,” said the proclamation. “Residents should be sure everyone in the home understand the sounds of the smoke alarms and knows how to respond, and residents who have planned and practised a home fire escape plan are more prepared and will therefore be more likely to survive a fire.”
According to B.C.’s Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, today's homes burn faster than ever, and fire-related deaths are increasing throughout British Columbia, which means it's vital to have and practise a home fire-escape plan.
Jennifer Rice, parliamentary secretary for emergency preparedness, said there have been more than 1,900 structure fires in B.C. this year, resulting in 93 injuries and 32 fatalities.
“These numbers are more than statistics. They are our friends and loved ones, as well as people's homes and livelihoods,” she said in a news release. “I urge all British Columbians to learn about the dangers of fire, how to prevent it and how to keep your family safe by having and practising an escape plan.”
