Winnipeg fire stations opened their doors to the public on Saturday as part of Fire Prevention Week. All day long, visitors, families and loved ones were able to admire the fire trucks and meet the first responders in their fire stations.
Across the city, hundreds of visitors visited fire stations near their homes.
This event takes place once a year, and is always a source of pride for Jay Hurst, firefighter for Fire Station 23, located on Dalhousie Avenue in south Winnipeg.
We are always very proud to open the station once a year and show people, especially children, what we do and the equipment we use. We are happy to show them
he said.
The children are always very receptive, they love being shown the trucks, the outfits, the water jets and the fire hoses. When we were little, those days were fun for us too, so who knows, maybe they will follow this career.
Emergency firefighter Eric Baldwin remembers how he chose to join the fire service.
I’ve always been a little immersed in that. My stepfather was a firefighter and he was the one who kind of pushed me to become a firefighter. And I’ve been in the field for just under ten years now.
he says.
A vocation that young Keenan Floyd, aged 11, imagines with stars in his eyes.
I want to become a firefighter and save lives. I love the trucks and the ladders that extend, it’s impressive.
Accompanied by his father, Jason, he came to take a closer look at the fire trucks. Jason Floyd assures that his brother-in-law is a firefighter and that this keeps his son’s dream alive.
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“Everyone at some point in their life dreams of becoming a firefighter,” explains Jason Floyd, who came with his 11-year-old son Keenan Floyd, to the open house at station 23.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Antoine Brière
A day to continue prevention
More than an annual day of open doors or fascination, this event also marks the last moments of fire prevention week.
It’s not easy explaining to children how to stay alert to fire hazards because they want to get to the fun part of the day right away. But they easily understand the basic principles, such as avoiding heat, reporting smoke, etc.
explains firefighter Jay Hurst.
We try to do as much prevention towards parents and children as possible, in relation to what we do. As long as it comes from us, as fire emergency services, it is very easy, because children admire the profession
adds firefighter-emergency specialist Eric Baldwin.
During this fire prevention week, some first responders also toured Manitoba schools to explain preventative measures and precautions to take to protect against fire risks.
