OAFC partners with First Alert Canada, Lowe’s & RONA for the month of October to promote fire prevention across Ontario
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The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) is pleased to announce that we are once again continuing our partnership with First Alert Canada and Lowe’s to promote fire prevention and fire safety in communities throughout Ontario. We are also proud to announce that we have added a new partnership with participating RONA* stores, to our fire prevention and fire safety partnership programing.
Fire deaths have remained stagnant across Ontario. We need to relentlessly pursue fire safety so that we not only increase public interest in fire prevention, but also engage the public in taking action to prevent fires and to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and reduce the amount of lives lost due to fires.
By hosting public education and fire safety events at Lowe’s or RONA* stores in communities across Ontario, our goal is to show people how simple, yet important, fire prevention and fire safety can be. With the help of Lowe’s and RONA*, one of the world's largest home improvement retailers, and First Alert Canada, Canada’s most trusted brand in home safety, we are confident that this goal can be achieved, ultimately helping to influence a safer Ontario.
About the Lowes/RONA* events
Fire departments are invited to host fire prevention and fire safety information sessions at a Lowe’s or RONA* store in their community throughout Fire Prevention Month - October 2019. This is a great public education and engagement opportunity!
Until we see a significant reduction in fire deaths and non-working smoke and CO alarms in homes, our theme for Fire Prevention Month continues to be "Only Working Smoke and CO Alarms Save Lives". In addition, we are emphasizing escape planning for our 2019 campaign: “Escape Plans: Know Your Way Out.” When a fire breaks out, there’s no time to waste. This is why it's critically important to create an escape route for you, and your family, and to practice it at least twice a year. Having working smoke and CO alarms is vital to early detection, ensuring that families have time to escape!
In alignment with our themes, the family-friendly events could include:
- firefighters leading an information session on smoke alarms, including 10-year sealed battery alarms;
- fire escape planning exercises, by utilizing our 2019 Fire Prevention Month Contest (see below);
- photo ops with kids;
- fire truck tours, and more.
Fire departments are encouraged to get creative to make the events as meaningful and memorable as possible!
First Alert Canada, Lowe’s and RONA* have purchased Will Fightfire and Friends public education/fire prevention kits. If you host an event, you will receive supplies from these kits to distribute at your event. The giveaways include: Will Fightfire and Friends activity books, stickers, crayons and red fire helmets, as well as adult/senior activity books that feature crosswords, Sudoku puzzles, and word searches. Each kit will also include contest forms for our 2019 kids contest (see below), and important smoke/co alarm brochures. Additionally, some Lowe’s and RONA*stores will provide other giveaways and promotional materials while taking take care of all the setup at the store!
First Alert Canada, Lowe’s and RONA* have purchased Will Fightfire and Friends public education/fire prevention kits. If you host an event, you will receive supplies from these kits to distribute at your event. The giveaways include: Will Fightfire and Friends activity books, stickers, crayons and red fire helmets, as well as adult/senior activity books that feature crosswords, Sudoku puzzles, and word searches. Each kit will also include contest forms for our 2019 kids contest (see below), and important smoke/co alarm brochures. Additionally, some Lowe’s and RONA*stores will provide other giveaways and promotional materials while taking take care of all the setup at the store!
2019 Fire Prevention Month Contest - Will Fightfire & Fiona Firesafety Want You to Know Your Way Out!
Last year, all Will Fightfire and Friends products purchased by Ontario fire departments for fire prevention month in October, or provided through the Lowe's-First Alert Canada public education/fire prevention store events, received contest entry forms to distribute during their fire prevention community events! Kids (under the age of twelve), submitted a colouring page/contest form with the name they think Will Fightfire's friend would like, and submitted the form back to the fire department. The fire department then submitted all entries to the OAFC. Chosen out of the hundreds of entries received by the OAFC, Lauren’s character’s name, Fiona Firesafety, won her a fire safety gift pack, $500 cash, and a special prize from the Township of Blandford-Blenheim Fire Department that included a ride to school in a fire truck, and a breakfast at school where the fire chief presented her with her prize along with local officials and media. The creator of Will Fightfire & Friends also provided Lauren with a framed, signed copy of Fiona Firesafety! The Blandford-Blenheim Fire Department also received extra public education materials to distribute in their community.
This year, we will be providing contest forms on escape planning. The contest will comprise of two fire escape planning maps, one in a premade home, and one for the child to draw their own home and escape route. The contest will be run throughout fire prevention month, with all entries submitted back to the OAFC office by November 22, 2019. The child with the winning name (which will be drawn) will receive a special prize package, including: a fire safety gift pack, a $500 cash prize, and a customized offer from you – the local fire department – which could include a fire station tour, a ride in a fire truck, and/or being a fire chief for a day. The contest runs from October 1 to November 22, 2019. More information can be found here https://www.oafc.on.ca/2019-oafc-fire-prevention-month-contest-will-fightfire-fiona-firesafety-want-you-know-your-way-out
How to get involved
If there is a Lowe’s or RONA* store in a community that your fire department serves, you may be eligible to host one of these public education events. Departments who host an event will receive:
- Child and youth Will Fightfire and Friends giveaways, such as activity books, crayons, red fire helmets, stickers;
- Adult/senior fire prevention activity books, brochures;
- Banner with grommets (3’ X 10’) – “Working smoke and CO alarms save lives”;
- Comprehensive press kit for distribution to local media to ensure media coverage of events, including media advisory, news release, backgrounder(s), key messages;
- The OAFC will handle all logistics and help market your event.
For more information
To host an event at your local Lowe’s or RONA* store, please contact Laura Aivaliotis, OAFC Program Coordinator by phone at 905-426-9865, x230 or by email to laura.aivaliotis@oafc.on.ca.
*Please note that only certain RONA locations are participating in the 2019 program.
For more information on the Lowe’s, First Alert, and RONA* education events, or support in setting up other local sponsorship opportunities, please contact Michelle O’Hara, Executive Director, by email at michelle.ohara@oafc.on.ca or by calling 905-426-9865, x222.
For more information about the OAFC Will Fightfire and Friends product line, visit our website at www.oafc.on.ca/oafc-will-fightfire-and-friends-information.
We look forward to strengthening this partnership by helping fire departments across the province host engaging and educational fire prevention information sessions in their local communities.
