Fire Prevention Week is held in October across Canada and is an event proclaimed by the Government of Canada carried out by Fire Prevention Canada, and in Alberta is sponsored by the Fire Commissioners Office.

Each year has a theme. 2001’s slogan was “Cover the Bases to Strikeout Preventable Home Fires.” The three bases of the diamond represented important fire hazards in the home: cooking, heating, and electrical. Home plate served as a reminder to children to conduct smoke alarm testing and home fire escape planning with parents and caregivers. Click here for more info on the current year's theme.

Children K-4 are invited to visit the fire hall during Fire Prevention Week where they learn valuable information on home fire prevention through video, lectures, and written material. Children receive special fire safety items (ie. decals, pencils) to serve as reminders of what they have learned.

During the month of October, the G.F.D. conducts smoke alarm maintenance and testing in all residences within the town limits. If a smoke detector is found not to be functioning the G.F.D. will replace one free battery (in past years, the UFA in Claresholm, John Cope, manager, has supplied batteries to the G.F.D. at a discount price). The department also sells smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and 5 and 10 pound ABC fire extinguishers. This program has been held for a number of years and very few residences have been found where smoke detectors are not working.

Above Top: Fire Chief Don Douglas demonstrates a breathing aparatus.
Above Bottom: The children from the local Hutterite colony participate in national Fire Prevention Week.

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