The Airdrie Fire Department is kicking off Fire Prevention Week in the city this Saturday, with the ATCO fire safety day.

Firefighters will be providing a tour of the Chinook Winds fire station and will have displays and demonstrations set up for all residents, kids and families to come and learn about. Sparky the dog and Juno Award nominee and children’s performer Mary Lambert will also be there.

“We have all kinds of interactive hands-on displays and there's the firetruck and tours,” said Deputy Fire Chief Linda Masson.

This year’s theme is “not every hero wears a cape. Plan and practice your escape”. Masson says it’s all about encouraging families to create fire safety plans, teaching kids what to do if there’s a fire and how to escape.

“We’re really focusing this year on home escape planning,” she said. “Working smoke and CO detectors are your first line of defense and then once you’re notified you have an issue it really helps to have a plan to get out and get out safely.”

Masson says trying to come up with an escape plan during a house fire can be a dangerous and even deadly decision.

“Fire with modern construction and the products in our home spreads very quickly, it doubles in size every 30 seconds and so it’s very important to have early warning and early detection,” Masson explained. “Then you don’t have very much time so it’s really good for people to have a plan so in those panic situations they know what to do.

The goal of Fire Prevention Week is to help ensure Airdrie residents prepared for emergency situations.

On Wednesday next week, the fire department will also be announcing its Junior Fire Chief who will get to have a very special tour of the fire station and experience some of what firefighters do on a daily basis.

 

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