Georgina fire chief named Chief of Year says safety 'team effort'

YorkRegion.com
June 7, 2017
Heidi Riedner

When it comes to fire safety, you could say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Georgina’s fire department has always been proactive when it comes to education and prevention and its chief, Ron Jenkins, got a little hardware in recognition of that fact.

Fire Chief Jenkins was named Chief of the Year by the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association during its gala dinner and awards ceremony in Windsor on May 31.

“This award is really a reflection of the whole team and their efforts to educate citizens on fire safety," Jenkins said, adding his department, the municipality and community support are integral parts of driving the fire-safety message home.

"Suppression will always be a key component in the fire service, but education and prevention are at the forefront of stopping fires before they happen," Jenkins added.

"We truly are blessed in Georgina with the staff we have up here and the overwhelming support from the community for the fire service and all of our public education and prevention efforts."

The prestigious recognition comes on the heels of a unique project teaming up Sutton District High School students and new recruits with the department.

Shop students spent the past two months building more than a dozen wood props to have firefighters burn them down for live burning training exercises teaching firefighters modern fire behaviour tactics.

"Fires have changed dramatically in the past years," Jenkins said, adding the partnership opportunity with the school provided invaluable hands-on training for new recruits.

While firefighters could  see the effects of floor path and door controls in a controlled burn situation, the students learned about tools, blueprint reading, and building construction techniques with wood and materials supplied by Georgina Fire and Rescue Services.