In discussions with fire-service personnel and other people across Canada about home fire sprinklers, one consistent theme that emerges is the need for greater education to dispel the many myths and misconceptions.

In the past, effective means to educate builders, fire-service personnel and home owners or home buyers have included side-by-side burns and other public events.

But COVID-19 has required a fundamental rethink of some of these practices.

This past year we have seen excellent initiatives from fire departments to overcome these challenges to educate.

The result has been a shift toward virtual events or more online presence with even greater success.

Fire departments have continued with side-by-side burns but have videoed the events and posted them online; departments have also hosted virtual lunch-and-learn series with developers – to name just a couple of examples.

HFSC Canada has also adapted, starting with last year’s Home Fire Sprinkler Week. The event was virtual with a daily social-media campaign. The result was the best campaign ever! Building upon the success of that event, the 2021 event will once again be a virtual campaign.

HFSC will provide daily message for fire departments and other home fire sprinkler advocates to use on all social media platforms. Each day will focus on a different theme. The initial work – the graphics and the messages – will be created by HFSC for you to download and customize for your communities.

Other innovations involving virtual reality fire simulations are in the works.

To further compliment Home Fire Sprinkler Week activities, HFSC Canada will host its first virtual Fire Sprinkler Symposium on Monday, May 17, from 1-3 p.m. (EDT).

This event will include several outstanding speakers and a panel discussion on home fire sprinklers.

Fire departments will find the symposium highly informative and best of all, as a free virtual symposium, you can participate from anywhere.

For more information and to register, click here: https://homefiresprinklercanada.ca/2021-hfsc-canada-sprinkler-symposium/