The province of Manitoba kicked off its annual Fire Prevention Week at the Carberry North Cypress-Langford Fire & Rescue Fire Hall this year, with Ryan Schenk, Manitoba Fire Commissioner, leading the proceedings. Before beginning, he modelled best practices for fire safety by outlining the emergency procedures in the very building the event was taking place in.

Municipal Relations Minister and Agassiz MLA Eileen Clarke represented the province at the event and spoke about her own experiences with fire safety, including bringing forward many key safety recommendations for Manitobans. “This year’s theme – Fire Won’t Wait; Plan Your Escape – is good advice that reflects the urgent need for all Manitobans to plan in advance to protect themselves and their families should a home fire emergency occur,” said Clarke.

Deputy Chief of Carberry North Cypress-Langford Fire and Rescue Grady Stephenson represented the host department and thanked the province for choosing their Fire Hall, which was just completed in early 2022, as the site of this year’s launch. It gave him the opportunity to talk a little bit about the challenges of running a rural fire department, including personnel, equipment, and training opportunities.

“Today’s fires burn much faster and much hotter than ever before, and you may have as little as two minutes or even less to escape your home when there is a fire,” said Cameron Abrey, president of the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs. “That’s the importance of planning your escape and knowing that your alarms work.”

Minister Clarke then proclaimed Fire Prevention Week, which runs from October 9 to 15, and gave the printed proclamation to the Carberry-North Cypress Fire Hall to display.

Following the proclamation, visiting students from local RJ Waugh school received a tour of the fire hall and participated in a fire safety exercise.