Videos aim to educate Regina's newest residents about fire safety

Newcomers to Canada are learning about fire safety through special videos produced in Regina.
 
The videos highlight simple tips like making a fire escape plan and warnings like not putting metal in the microwave – something you might not know if you’ve never used a microwave before.
 
Regina Fire and Protective Services has noticed a growing number of fires involving newcomers to the city over the past several years. The videos were produced with the help of community based organizations to address the emerging fire safety risks.
 
Regina Fire Chief Ernie Polsom says cooking is the number one cause of fires across all demographics in the city, and these public safety videos are a way to address that. However, the safety message becomes more complicated for people coming from certain countries where cooking appliances and practices may be very different.
 
“Our housing stock may be different, the appliances that we use here may be different,” Polsom said. “It’s just an opportunity to make sure the message is specifically tailored to the group so it’s most effective.”
 
The Regina Open Door Society, Regina Immigrant Women’s Centre, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and the Assemblee communautaire fransaskoise all collaborated on the videos to make sure they are clear and understandable.