Picton Youth to Receive Fire Safety Action Award

TORONTO, June 16, 2014 /CNW/ - Alex Korchuk 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.

Last December, seven-year-old Alex Korchuk was asleep in his home in Picton, when he was awakened by the sound of a smoke alarm. He ran to his father's bedroom and roused him from sleep, telling him the smoke alarms were sounding and there was smoke everywhere. His father ran to the recreation room and found the wall unit on fire and the main floor full of smoke.

His father told Alex to wake up his two older brothers and take them to the mudroom.  Alex ran to each of his brothers' bedrooms and told them there was a fire. He led them to the mudroom, where they waited while their father extinguished the fire and called the fire department.

Alex remained calm and brave throughout this frightening incident. He had learned what to do during a fire situation in his Grade 2 class just a few months earlier. His brothers had also learned about home escape planning at school and the family had discussed what to do if a fire were to occur.

"Although the house suffered some fire and smoke damage, the family was able to return home a week later," said Ted Wieclawek, Chair, Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council.  "Because of Alex's quick actions and fire safety knowledge, the damage was relatively minor and, most importantly, everyone safely escaped."

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]