Queen's University Department of Residence Life to receive Fire Safety Award

TORONTO, June 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Queen's University Department of Residence Life 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.

For several years, Queen's University experienced numerous malicious false alarms in its student residences. Each year, Kingston Fire & Rescue responded to between 30 and 50 malicious alarms, at significant cost to taxpayers.

In 2011, Kingston Fire & Rescue approached Queen's University Department of Residence Life, the body responsible for ensuring residences function safely and efficiently.  They discussed the cost impacts of the malicious alarms and as a result, a multi-pronged initiative was launched to address the issue. Residence Life implemented changes to residence policy to reflect the serious nature of tampering with fire detection equipment, increased security in residences and launched a comprehensive educational program, including posters, newspaper articles and a video, which is mandatory viewing for all first year students.

Kingston Fire & Rescue also provided fire safety training to residence staff and public education materials to specifically address the issue of malicious alarms, in addition to issuing notices of violation and laying charges against students for tampering with smoke alarms.

"In the year following the launch of this program, the fire department responded to just two malicious alarm calls in Queen's University residences," said Ted Wieclawek, Ontario Fire Marshal and Chair, Fire Marshal's Public Fire Safety Council.  "This tremendous success is due to the very effective partnership between Kingston Fire & Rescue and Queen's University Department of Residence Life."

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