FIRE PREVENTION WEEK: Message from NOTL Fire Chief Jay Plato

We salute our volunteer firefighters daily; Niagara-on-the-Lake Fire & Emergency Services volunteer firefighters provide exceptional service to the residents and visitors of our beautiful town.

Whether responding to calls at any hour of the day, participating in training, inspecting and maintaining equipment, or delivering public education programs, our volunteers continuously demonstrate their professionalism and commitment to our community. I would like to thank the NOTL Local for recognizing our local volunteer firefighters for their significant contribution to the community and interest in covering Fire Prevention Week 2023.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, ‘Cooking safety starts with YOU. Pay attention to fire prevention,’ educates everyone about the simple but meaningful actions to keep themselves and those around them safe in the kitchen. Cooking is Canada’s leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.

With Thanksgiving behind us, it was an excellent opportunity to get together with loved ones. Keeping each other safe by maintaining our smoke and carbon monoxide alarms is one of the easiest ways to show our family and friends that we care about them. The simple act of testing your alarms to ensure they are working and changing the batteries regularly might not seem like an action that shows your loved ones you care, but it can have a significant impact on their lives in the event of an emergency.

I am writing to express my gratitude for the incredible work that our volunteer firefighters do every day. They are moms, dads, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters. They are committed to their community and to each other. — Jay Plato, Fire Chief