Fire Prevention Week kicks off this week

FORT ST. JOHN, BC – Fire Prevention week is underway in Fort St. John and across B.C.

This year’s theme, between October 9th to 15th, is “Fire Won’t Wait, Plan Your Escape.”

Members of the Fort St. John Fire Department, including the department’s fire inspector, Alyn Stobbe, will visit different schools around the city to discuss fire prevention. 

“It’s just trying to educate the kids, and then, that usually has a trickle effect back to the home, so the parents get educated through the kids through this process,” said Stobbe.

Stobbe says there are many ways to stay safe and prevent fires at home, such as having a working smoke alarm.

“You should have your furnace checked to make sure it’s in working order,” said Stobbe. “It’s not really a fire issue, but more carbon monoxide because if your furnace isn’t working effectively, you could potentially have that gas in your home and just not know it.”

According to Stobbe, it’s important to have a home escape plan in place to ensure each household member can get out quickly and safely in the event of a fire. 

An escape plan includes finding two different home exits, ensuring both exits are in working order and establishing a meeting point outside of the home with other household members.

Fort St. John community members can email their questions about fire safety and prevention to fireprevention@fortstjohn.ca.