The London Fire Department is being praised for their efforts in ensuring the safety of Syrian refugee families who now call Canada home.
During the spring, the London Fire Department's Fire Prevention Division, working with the Cross Cultural Learner Centre, provided fire and life safety seminars to over 500 Syrian refugees living in London. The fire department also routinely provides English as a second language instruction to such groups from other countries.
A group of refugees met with Deputy Fire Chief Brian McLaughlin at Station No. 1 on Thursday, to formally thank the fire department for their help transitioning to London with the fire safety lessons.
"It was about making sure [the refugees] were living and residing, and understood the fire safety standards here, so that they were safe. And by keeping them safe, it also kept the community safe," says McLaughlin. "It was also important to us that the new Canadians knew their rights, for example, a working smoke alarm, carbon dioxide detector, etc."
London firefighters also responded to a number of false alarms in hotels triggered by refugee children who were unfamiliar with fire alarm systems.
Bachar Alolabi, a spokesperson for the local group of refugees, says fire officials were very patient and understanding while the children learned not to play with the alarms.
"Everything is different [in London]. More safe now," says Alolabi.
McLaughlin says the safety lessons were a learning experience for fire officials and forced them to be flexible in the way they provide fire safety education. The deputy chief says the department just wanted to make sure the Syrian families felt welcome.
"When we were aware that the new Canadians were arriving in London, we stepped back and looked at it from the perspective of 'What are they going to need from us?'" he says. "We are emissaries of the community of London and the country of Canada, and as such, when we went out there we were representing both."
A group of Syrian refugees living in London gathered at Station No. 1 on June 30, 2016 to thank the London Fire Department for providing fire safety lessons. (Photo by Samuel Gallant)
A group of Syrian refugees living in London gathered at Station No. 1 on June 30, 2016 to thank the London Fire Department for providing fire safety lessons. (Photo by Samuel Gallant)