Special Features - Fire Prevention Week 2014

OCTOBER5-11, 2014

• WORKING SMOKE ALARMS• FIRE SAFETY QUIZ• LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS• KID’S FUN STUFF

* Kitchen Suppression Inspection & Installation* Fire Safety Plans* Fire Extinguishers

Jeanie MacIntyre701 9th Avenue

[email protected] * Cell: 250-423-1484

We’ll show you how to keep you and your family safe!

Guardian First Aid is Proud to support & service the Mining Industry and the Elk Valley

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24 hours availableFor all your � rst aid needs

Debby TomichElkford BC V0B1H0Cell 250-425-5946

Email: [email protected]

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C2 THE FREE PRESS, OCTOBER 2, 2014

FIRE PREVENTION WEEK October 5-11

The RDEK salutes ourvolunteer

firefighters in Hosmer, Jaffray

and Baynes Lake.

Main Office Phone: 250-489-2791 Toll Free: 1-888-478-7335

Email: [email protected] Website: www.rdek.bc.ca

THE DISTRICT OF SPARWOOD IS PROUD TO PAYTRIBUTE TO OUR FIREFIGHTERSDuring Fire Prevention Week we are given the opportunity to tell all of our � re� ghters just how much they are appreciated and to thank them for all they do to keep our community safe.

We salute our � re� ghters for their dedication and commitment to � re rescue, skills training, and promoting community � re safety awareness and education.

Make sure it works: your smoke alarm can save your life

OctOber 5 tO 11, 2014

Fire Prevention Week is coming up, and this year Fire Prevention

Ca nada and the Ca nada Sa fety Council are re minding us that

every home should be protected with wor king smoke alarms.

Many fire fatalities occur at night, when people are sleeping and fail to notice smoke as an indication of fire in their home. If there is no alarm to wake them, they will literally never know what hit them.

One of the great frustrations of firefighters everywhere is to see home smoke alarms disarmed or removed from their ceiling anchors. As the Canada Safety Council says, “A dead unit is worse than none at all — it can give you a false sense of

security.” Whether your home smoke alarms are po wered by batteries or your home’s electrical system, make sure they are updated every 10 years, tested mon thly, and outfitted with fresh batteries on a yearly basis.

Why is my smokealarm so fussy?

Fire Prevention Canada says that di sarming an alarm is a mistake that can cost lives. There are other options that won’t put your family’s lives in danger. If making toast or taking a shower sets off your alarm regularly, try moving the detector to a spot just outside the kitchen or bathroom.

Ionization alarms are especially responsive to fast-burning materials, such as burning fat, newspaper, and paint. This type is generally chea per and it is also the kind most often

disarmed because of nuisance false alarms. Try installing a bet ter quality photoelectric alarm.

Contact your local fire de partment to ar range a visit from a fire prevention of ficer who will show you the best spots for your home’s smoke detectors.

THE FREE PRESS, OCTOBER 2, 2014 C3


City Hall 501-3rd Ave., Box 190Fernie, BC V0B 1M0

www.fernie.ca

We Salute Our Local Fire FightersFor their selflessness and bravery, we salute the men and women of our fire department.

Fernie Fire Rescue will be putting our community first during Fire Prevention Week, just as they do throughout the entire year.

The Fernie Ghostriders proudly support our

local fi refi ghters and volunteers

1) Smoking• Do you smoke while lying on the couch

or in bed? [] Yes [] No• Do you place your ashtray directly on your

sofa or bed? [] Yes [] No• Do you throw out cigarette butts and ashes

in the garbage without wetting them first? [] Yes [] No• Do you leave lit cigarettes unattended?

[] Yes [] No

2) Cooking with oil• Do you fry food in anything other than a

deep fryer? [] Yes [] No• Do you keep a pot’s lid out of reach when

cooking? [] Yes [] No• Do you set the stove to medium-high heat

when heating cooking oil?

[] Yes [] No• Do you salt food over the fryer?

[] Yes [] No• Do you leave the kitchen when you’re

cooking? [] Yes [] No• Do you wear long-sleeved or loose-fitting

clothes when cooking? [] Yes [] No

3) Outlets and extension cords• Do you leave one or more extension cords

permanently plugged in? [] Yes [] No• Do you have electrical wiring passing

under your carpet? [] Yes [] No• Do you sometimes overload your outlets?

[] Yes [] No• Do you use an extension cord even though

it seems damaged? [] Yes [] No

4) Candles• Do you leave lit candles unattended?

[] Yes [] No• within reach of children?

[] Yes [] No• accessible to pets?

[] Yes [] No• near drapes or other flammable objects?

[] Yes [] No• in wood or plastic candle-holders?

[] Yes [] No• in unstable candle-holders?

[] Yes [] No

5) Smoke detector• Do you ever remove the battery from your

smoke detector to stop it from going off? [] Yes [] No• Has it been more than one year since you

last checked the batteries in your smoke detector?

[] Yes [] No

ANALYZE YOUR RESULTS

On our IQ test, zero is the best score. If you answered “no” to each of our questions, then you have an inflammability quotient of zero. Congratulations! Your score indica tes that, with your kind of vigilance, your home is safe.

For each “yes”, add five points and calculate your score. If you scored above 20, let it be a reminder to be more careful. Review the questions to which you answered “yes” and try to correct the situation.

As an example, did you answer in the affirmative to the question “Do you sometimes overload your outlets?” If so, then go check your outlets; avoid plugging several electronic devices into the same wall outlet. Get a power bar instead — it’s much safer!

Calculateyourhome’s IQ (inflammability quotient!)

Free Press files



Fernie Fire Department

Hosmer Fire Department

Hosmer Volunteer Fire DepartmentL-R: Glenn Wallman, Elijah Thompson, Jeanine Smith, Elise Bryant, Shelley Vaness, and Neil ThompsonMissing: David Barrett, Mark Ehmann, Spenser Olson, Ted Shoesmith, Ben Henderson, Tania Wallman, Bert EckelLeave of Absence: Craig Follett, Cathy Follet

Sparwood Fire Department

Sparwood Fire Rescue TeamBack L-R: Brian Jones, Jacob Isaacs, Ray Joss, Brad Hogg, Al Laidlaw, James Bosma, Tom Bremner, Bob Larson, Mark Ward, John Randall, Willy Mortimer.Middle L-R: Kayleigh Cook, Jordan Nelson, Daniel Hutchinson, Pete Race, Duane Nelson, Dwayne Matatall, Sheldon Tennant, Brett Engel, Alex Isaacs, Keyton Kunst.Front L-R: Jerry Scarff, Preston Engel, Deputy Chief Dean Spry, Fire Chief Jim Jones, Karl Ehrler, Matt Huryn, Ken Syrja. Missing: Gene Olson, Mike Harrington, Scott Holberton, Chad Singleton, Raya Blackmore, Chric Hegedus, Darrick Lawson, Jen Price, Paul Rosler, Amy Sigurdson.

Fernie Fire Rescue TeamBack L-R: Amber Siewert, Hannah Sullivan, Bruce Nelson, Mike Bragg, Mike Lennox, Mike Tonge, Zane NealFront L-R: F.P.O Dave Kurschenska, Trevor Fairweather, Tammy Clowers, Gord Bunston, (Student) Tyson Schmidt



Jaffray Fire Department

Jaffray Fire Rescue Team

Back L-R: Kathy Weins, Deputy Fire Chief Todd Martens, Clint Ewasiuk, Colton Reay, Dan Fediuk, Sandy DeJong(Middle Top), Willy Rayman, Cindy

Lightburn, Justine Yuszko, Shari Fabiano, Fire Chief Dave Boreen

Front Kneeling L-R: Guillaume Courmont, JP Braaten, Yann Loranger, Ian DeJong

Missing: Battalion Chief- Jacky Stotts, Viktor Mouchet, Laurent Leonetti, Danny Carlyle, Mike

Nelson, Claude Poirier, Lynn Carlyle, Troy Carlyle

Baynes Lake Fire Department

Baynes Lake Fire Rescue Team

Back L-R: Greg Dyble, Kayla Ewasiuk, Bonnie Kari, Sandy Helfrich, Judy Ebbern, Sean Ebbern, Steve

Ebbern, Deputy Fire Chief Todd MartensMissing: Fire Chief Dave Boreen, Bert Tiffin, Jim

Cosens, Dave Sutherland, Alan Agate, JT Ewasiuk, Rob Prevost, Paul Wills, Shanna Wills, Greg Harris, Pennee Harris, Sharon Leeper, Kat Boag-Munrue,

Janet Baher

Elkford Fire Department

Elkford Fire Rescue Team

Pictured L-R: Patrick Milan, Corey Kortmeyer, Garry Shiosaki, Gary Tucker, Scott Haugo, Bruce White, Fire Chief Bernie Van Tighem, Bobbie-Lee

Houseman, Derik Finlay, Louis Bourgeois, Misty Shinners, Harvey MacPherson, Brad Comey

Missing - Elov Simmons, Ryburn Regular, Jason Kaiser, Sheldon Thiel, Dustin Smith, Neil Hawthorne,

Lydon Simmons, Pat Sorenson, Loren Langille, Derek Chamberlain, Douglas Wilde


Like uson Facebook

Proudly supporting our local � re� ghters

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The Coal of the Wild.

Mayor McKerracher, Council, and the District of Elkford Staff would like to sincerely thank all of our dedicated Volunteer Fire Fighters who work to keep our community and homes safe.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week is from October 5th to 11th, 2014. Our theme this year is “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month”. To commemorate this important week, Elkford Fire Rescue will be hosting an Open House on October 11th at the Fire Hall, located at 2300 Balmer Drive, from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

We cordially invite you and your family to attend this event. We will be providing information on home fire safety, including smoke alarms and fire safety planning.

Valuable tips for preventing fires

If the worst happens

Despite all the security measures ta ken to limit the risk of fire, no one is im mune to such a tra gedy. When the worst hap pens and your property is in fla mes, it’s important to act im mediately. That is when a carefully planned and pra cticed eva cuation plan co mes into its own.

What is an evacuation plan?An evacuation plan is a drawing that illustrates each floor of your home. To be effective, it must contain

the following elements:• all emergency exits (doors, windows)• the routes leading to these exits (at least two per room)• the location of all smoke and car bon mo noxide alarms, as well as portable fire extingui shers• the designated assembly point

outside the homeAn evacuation plan has se ve ral

objectives. It increases the chances of survival du ring a fire; it prevents panic and re ckless actions; and it helps residents easily meet up af ter the evacuation. An eva cuation plan has to be tailor-made for the occupants; children 12 years and un der, seniors, and people with disabilities will definitely need as sis tance to reach an emergency exit.

A family activityAn evacuation plan invol-

ves the whole family. First, make sure that all members participate in its creation. Display it proudly at a central location in the house where everyone can see it. Make sure you do a fire drill every year. Oc cupants should be able to reach the designated assembly point in less than three minutes.

Fire destroys everything in its path, including precious memories and lives. Here are a few prevention tips to help you and your family avoid becoming fire victims.

The golden rule? Have a smoke alarm that is in good working order on every floor of the home, especially near bedrooms. Test them on a monthly basis and change the batteries once a year. Did you know that the majority of fire deaths occur at night? Victims rarely succumb to the flames; rather, smoke inhalation is responsible for most of these fatalities.

Avoid smoking in bed. You just have to doze off for a few minutes for your cigarette to end up on the sheets. Keep all items related to smoking out of the reach of children. Ashtrays, matches, and lighters should always be left in a safe place.

Flammable items that have not been used for several months, such as cans of paint and solvent, should be discarded in an appropriate manner. Most municipalities have a depot

site for such materials. The same also goes for all those piles of paper left lying around — recycle them.

Lastly, the most logical rule of all is to keep highly dangerous pro ducts, such as ga soline and propane containers,

outside the home. This type of pro duct should ne ver, under any ci r-cum stances, be stored inside your home.

Answer to Junior firefighter Word Search Page 7

BOOTS

DANGER

EXITS

FLAMES

FIRE

FIRE ALARM

FIREMAN

FIRE STATION

GEAR

HELMET

HOSE

LADDER

RESCUER

TRUCK

SAFETY

WATER



at Canadian Tire we care.

Thank you to our local � re� ghers and volunteers.

1791 9th Avenue250-423-4222

Proud sponsor of the Community Fire Chief for

the Day Kids Contest.

1702 9th AvenueHwy. 3 Fernie250-423-5380

Our Valley’s fire departments are always looking for more volunteers.

Get involved with the department in your area!Jaffray: 250-429-3473

Baynes Lake: 250-529-7451Fernie: 250-423-4226

Hosmer: 250-423-4221Sparwood: 250-425-6271

Elkford: 250-865-4020

WORDS TO FIND

Please see answer on page 6.



SMS Equipment

supports Fire

Prevention Week

Fires can be prevented with regular professional maintenance.

Contact your local SMS Equipment branch for details.

SMS Equipment Inc. Elkford: #1 Intata Road,

Elkford, BC V0B 1H0. Phone: 250-865-8281

smsequip.com

Western Region 1 866-458-0101

Eastern Region 1 800-881-9828

SMS14-318_PRT.pdf 1 9/22/2014 3:51:43 PM

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Special Features - Fire Prevention Week 2014