Calgary,
09
October
2018
|
10:45
America/Denver

Calgary Fire Department appoints Junior Fire Chief to act as city safety ambassador

Nyrmin Dhanoa was named the 2018 Junior Fire Chief today in a ceremony at Varsity Fire Station 17. Fire Chief Steve Dongworth made the announcement and presented Nyrmin with duty gear and a special certificate honouring her appointment.

Each year during Fire Prevention Week, the Calgary Fire Department appoints a Junior Fire Chief to act as Calgary’s fire safety ambassador.

Nyrmin’s duties will include promoting this year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware – fire can happen anywhere” and encouraging Calgarians to help their families stay safe year-round. As part of Nyrmin’s first day, she and her family went for a ride in a fire engine and had lunch with the crew at Varsity Fire Station 17.

“Nyrmin is a positive role model with an enthusiastic and happy outlook,” said Chief Dongworth. “Partnering with Alberta Children’s Hospital has given us a very capable ambassador who will share the importance of fire safety with her friends, family and fellow patients.”

“This is a wonderful opportunity to bring joy and provide distraction to a well-deserving patient,” said Sandy Baggott, Child Life Lead for the Alberta Children’s Hospital. “This is an exciting event and we are pleased to participate and help promote important initiatives around both fire safety and leadership."

During Fire Prevention Week running from October 7th to 13th, 2018, the Calgary Fire Department reminds everyone to look for places fires can start, listen for the sound of your smoke alarm and learn two ways out of your home in the event of an emergency. Smoke alarms have been at the centre of Fire Prevention Week for the past three years because they are proven to give residents the best chance of escaping home fires and reducing serious injury.

Fire Prevention Week is held annually by fire departments across North America. It was proclaimed in Canada in 1919 to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, as well as a major fire that destroyed the Centre Block of the Parliament buildings in Ottawa on February 3, 1916.

To learn more about Fire Prevention Week, visit calgary.ca/firepreventionweek.

Fire Hall Open Houses

Four firehalls will hold open houses on October 13th from 1 to 4 p.m. with activities for the kids, fire station tours, treats, refreshments and fun ways to learn about keeping families safe from fire. Participating firehalls include:

  • McKenzie Town Fire Station 30 (6 McKenzie Towne Gate S.E.)

  • Saddleridge Fire Station 32 (800 Saddletown Circle N.E.)

  • Signal Hill Fire Station 33 (3800 69th Street S.W.)

  • Symons Valley Fire Station 40 (12920 Symons Valley Road N.W.)