Fairchild Radio Toronto to receive Fire Safety Award

TORONTO, June 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Fairchild Radio Toronto 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.

Fairchild Radio is Canada's #1 multicultural radio network, featuring a wide array of program formats including news, current affairs, music and entertainment.

In March of 2009, Fairchild Radio partnered with Markham Fire & Emergency Services to present, for the first time, eight radio shows providing fire safety education in Cantonese.  The call-in radio show covered a wide range of fire safety topics such as cooking safety, smoke alarms and basement apartments.  In 2010, the partners developed a series of 20, ten-minute segments on the Sunday program called Home Sweet Home. The following year, Fairchild Radio participated in a fundraising car wash in support of Markham's Comfort Bear program, which provides a teddy bear to children during emergency responses. The car wash raised more than $1,200 and contributed to the purchase of 120 bears.

Last year, this successful partnership continued with eight more radio shows, culminating in an open house and live broadcast at a fire station. This event attracted over 600 people, some of whom drove over two hours to attend. This year, Fairchild Radio has aired question and answer interviews on home fire safety, in Mandarin.

"As a result of this partnership, Markham Fire has noticed greater interest in fire safety among the Chinese community, with more requests for participation at special events and an increase in fire station visits," said Ted Wieclawek, Ontario Fire Marshal and Chair, Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council.  "With its extensive Chinese-speaking audience and commitment to fire safety issues, Fairchild Radio Toronto has proved to be a strong media partner for Markham Fire and Emergency Services."

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