Orton Youth to Receive Fire Safety Action Award

TORONTO, June 16, 2014 /CNW/ - Ashlee Swackhamer will receive a Fire Safety Action Award on June 19 in Toronto.  The annual Fire Safety Awards ceremony, hosted by the Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council, recognizes outstanding contributions to fire protection and prevention in Ontario.

In January, 11-year-old Ashlee Swackhamer was at home in Orton, Ontario, when she spotted smoke and flames coming from the workshop on their property. Ashlee immediately told her grandmother to call 9-1-1. Although there were four dogs in the shop, Ashlee had learned that in a fire, you must never enter a burning building. Despite their concern for the dogs, she and her grandmother waited outside for the fire department to arrive.

The fire department managed to save three of the dogs and extinguished the fire before it spread to the house.

Ashlee received her fire safety knowledge from the Erin Fire Services during a presentation at school. Ashlee's grandfather is a Fire Chief and life safety has always been taken very seriously by the family.

"Knowing what to do and where to go when a fire occurs is a key part of being able to keep yourself and others safe from fire," said Ted Wieclawek, Chair, Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council.  "As a result of Ashlee's actions, there has been a heightened awareness about the importance of fire safety education in the community."

Fire Safety Action Awards are awarded to young children and teenagers who have actively demonstrated fire safety behaviours they have learned.  The Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council gratefully acknowledges the support of its sponsors in this event: TD Bank Group, Toronto Blue Jays, Union Gas Limited/ A Spectra Energy Company, Technical Standards & Safety Authority - TSSA, Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Proctor & Gamble Inc., Electrical Safety Authority, CSA Group, The Co-operators Group, Kidde Canada Inc., Roxul Inc. and The Home Depot.

SOURCE: Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council

Carol Gravelle, Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management [phone] [email protected]