Fire Safety for Housing

Shane Ferguson, Fire Safety Educator/Firefighter Training Specialist

10:45 – 11:45 AM | Viking

Biography

Shane is a retired Firefighter from the Winnipeg Fire Department and has currently retired from the Pre-service Firefighter Education and Training Program at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ontario which he managed for 12 years. 

Shane takes a great deal of pride in promoting Public Fire Safety Education and Firefighter Training where he travels to remote First Nations Communities facilitating through his company Staying Alive Fire Safety Program with Shibagama First Nations Council, Windigo First Nations Council, Ambers Fire Safety Campaign. Shane enthusiastically teaches children in the schools and adults in the community about fire prevention and safety, and in conjunction with that, educates Indigenous members of the community, involved in firefighting, with hands on firefighter training skills. As a retired career fire fighter, Shane understands the importance of teaching these skills to give those in each community the confidence to properly approach a fire safely and how to use the equipment on hand to be successful in combating fires in those communities. Shane has been giving smoke alarm workshops in the communities teaching the importance of the proper placement and operation of Smoke Alarms with a HUSH Button. He also has given fire safety prevention information on the community radio stations which helps reach the community with this important information. With tremendous passion and conviction to save lives, Shane created an interactive home escape plan game called “The Great Escape” which is being utilized around the world. He is currently working on an Indigenous Fire Safety APP with AFN which should be completed in 2025. 

Shane has received the following awards: 
• 2004 International Association of Firefighters 2nd place for their Media Award 
• 2005 Mayor Distinguished “Firefighter of The Year” Award 
• 2005 Today’s parent “Life Saver” Award for Kids Sake 
• 2006 International Association Fire Chiefs “Fire Service” “Award of Excellence” 

Synopsis

While adequate housing in Northern communities is essential, one of the greatest threats to home and life in these communities is house fires. Due to the absence of ongoing fire education in both schools and in the community and adequate training on the fire-fighting equipment on hand, that when these house fires do occur, far too often it leaves our remote communities unprepared and unprotected. Too often it is at the cost of human life, and far to often it’s a child, and we know that every child matters. In fact, it was the loss of a child during a rescue, while I was a career fire fighter in Winnipeg, that kindled the passion and drive I have to work tirelessly on ways to prevent such tragedies from ever occurring in the future, and that was 25 years ago. Especially knowing children in Northern communities are 10 x more likely to die in a house fire, this education and effort is essential. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the steps that each Community can implement to keep each community fire safe, through adequate and ongoing education and training.