Fire departments throughout Rocky View County have teamed up with ConocoPhillips to provide three new programs aimed at maintaining safer communities.
The Airdrie Fire Department, Chestermere Fire Services, Cochrane Fire Services and Rocky View County Fire Rescue service have formed the Regional Fire Safety Education Coalition (RFSEC) with its corporate sponsor ñ ConocoPhillips.
ìWe are really excited and pleased to be able to provide this level of support and education to our residents,î Chair of the Coalition Linda Masson said at the unveiling in front of the Airdrie Fire Department Oct. 2.
The RFSEC will deliver three programs ñ starting immediately - in each community including the Home Safety Program, The After the Emergency Program and Community Care Packs.
ìItís a great initiative,î Kevin Weinberger, fire chief of the Airdrie Fire Department said.
ìOn (Oct. 10) we will be going out into the community to do the home safety program. Weíll be going door-to-door checking out people homes and identifying if we see something that could be a hazard.î
The programs will be implemented in all participating communities.
The Home Safety Program was introduced on a trial basis during 2012ís Fire Prevention Week and according to organizers received positive feedback. With the permission of the homeowner, firefighters will enter the home and complete a safety check and discuss any fire and safety related items they may find in the home.
ìAll the firefighters - 61 in total ñ completed a training program (to help identify any safety issues),î Weinberger said.
The After the Emergency Program puts firefighters back into devastated communities, 24-hours after the emergency occurred.
Crews and officers will visit residents in the affected area, organizers said, and will be available to answer questions, address concerns and provide information and assistance with smoke alarms and fire safety.
The third initiative is the Community Care Packs, a resource for frontline crews that will support existing community programs.
The packs ñ handed out by fire crews to residents ñ will include a variety of fire education and safety information, smoke alarms and batteries, home checklists and trauma pets ñ dolls given to children after an emergency to help comfort the child.
ìItís the unification of public education throughout the County,î Parry Prete, deputy fire chief for the Rocky View Fire Services.
ìWhat Airdrie is telling its residents, is what Cochrane and Chestermere will be saying as well. It gives the means of instruction in a standard format.î
ConocoPhillips will be providing financial support by supplying installation kits, alarms, batteries, detectors, checklists and the community care packs.
