Community engagement and education mean different things to different municipalities. For some, it is purely getting the facts in front of the people, and for others – it means seeing is believing.
In Marystown, Newfoundland, and East Gwillimbury, Ontario, the local fire departments used a $500 stipend from the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Canada to better connect with their respective communities.
In Marystown, Fire Chief Justin Bolt says the department’s annual Fire Prevention Week open house is growing each year.
“As part of our open house, which had more than 300 people attend, we brought in a television that displayed a comparison between fire growth and sprinkler use,” Bolt says.
Similarly, but on a bit of a larger scale, the community of East Gwillimbury had more than 1,100 people attend its open house with a side by side fire and sprinkler demonstration.
“Our firefighters built a side by side comparison using standard building materials and put it on wheels to bring it outside,” Nicole Spragg, public education specialist for the town of East Gwillimbury says. “We had sprinklers installed, grabbed materials from thrift stores, and tried to model a dorm room since our open house was during the back to school season.”
In the side by side, the sprinkler activated after 36 seconds. On the non-sprinkler side, firefighters let the fire burn for about two and a half minutes before putting it out manually, just after flashover.
It was noted that both sides were fitted with smoke alarms that went off within three seconds of one another.
“From a community standpoint, it’s nice when we do things like this because people have an image in their heads of how it’s going to go down,” Spragg says. “But to see it in person is a much better visual aid.”
Applying to the HFSC Canada stipend program gives fire departments across the country an opportunity to better engage in community education, which has the potential to save lives.
“Applying was great,” Bolt says. “We already actually have a new home in the community that had residential sprinklers installed. The awareness is spreading, and it’s nice to see it in our community.”
The stipend application window for 2024 opens in February. Twenty stipends will be awarded. The stipend program is funded through a generous donation from The Co-operators.