Calgary,
08
October
2019
|
09:55
America/Denver

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

Rosie Luthi was named the 2019 Junior Fire Chief today in a ceremony at Varsity Fire Station 17. Fire Chief Steve Dongworth made the announcement and presented Rosie 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.

Rosie’s duties will include promoting this year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, “Stand By Your Pan” which promotes the importance of cooking safely to prevent house fires. As part of Rosie’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.

“Rosie is a great role model and I know she will bring plenty of enthusiasm to her new position,” 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 6th to 12th, 2019, the Calgary Fire Department reminds everyone to “Stand by your Pan” as kitchen fires are the number one cause of home fires in our city. They advise staying in the kitchen while cooking, keep anything that could catch fire away from your stovetop and keeping a lid nearby to smother small grease fires. 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 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.

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