Children's Aid Society of Ottawa to receive Fire Safety Award

TORONTO, June 4, 2013 /CNW/ - The Children's Aid Society of Ottawa will receive a Fire Safety Award from the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council at a ceremony on June 12, 2013 in Toronto. The annual Fire Safety Awards recognize outstanding contributions to fire protection and prevention in Ontario.

Data from the Office of the Fire Marshal show that a number of fire fatalities occur among children who were receiving services from a child welfare agency. To help address this issue, the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies developed Fire Safety and Prevention - A Resource Guide for Child Welfare Professionals.

Based on this resource guide, the Children's Aid Society (CAS) of Ottawa, with the support of Ottawa Fire Services, delivered training sessions to their entire staff of field workers and incorporated a fire safety component into their home assessments. During their assessments, CAS field workers ask the caregivers to check all of the smoke alarms in the home. If there is a problem with an alarm, the CAS worker corrects the situation before leaving or leaves a loaner smoke alarm.  Ottawa Fire Services is informed to follow up and make sure the smoke alarm issue properly corrected. Smoke alarm problems are the main reason that CAS makes referrals to the fire service.

In 2012, Ottawa Fire Services received 260 referrals from CAS Ottawa, which resulted in 300 inspections by fire prevention officers.

"Thanks to the Children's Aid Society of Ottawa and the Ottawa Fire Services, vulnerable children and families are protected by working smoke alarms," said Ted Wieclawek, Ontario Fire Marshal and Chair, Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council.  "The resource guide is important because caregivers are provided with education about the importance of smoke alarms.  While some landlords do receive Inspection Orders or tickets for violations, they also receive education as to why they should comply with fire safety requirements."

The Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council gratefully acknowledges the support of its sponsors in this event: Technical Standards and Safety Authority, The Co-operators Group, Kidde Canada Inc., Home Depot of Canada Inc., Proctor & Gamble Inc., Electrical Safety Authority, CSA Group, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc., Roxul Inc. and Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada.

SOURCE: Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council

Carol Gravelle, Office of the Fire Marshal, 416-325-3138