Veteran Okanagan fire service mentor and advocate Ann Hancock was presented with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal today by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond at a fire safety event at the Vernon Fire Hall.

Hancock has been recognized for her 20 years of fire service leadership. She has served as a volunteer firefighter, mentor and for the past 14 years, the administrator of the Fire Chiefs' Association of BC. During the Okanagan wildfires of 2003, Hancock was pivotal in identifying key resources throughout the province and played a crucial role in facilitating responses across multiple jurisdictions.

Bond and Hancock were joined by Vernon fire chief Keith Green and Victoria fire chief Jeff Lambert representing the Fire Chiefs' Association of BC, as well as local officials, to reaffirm the provincewide campaign to have a working smoke alarm in every home in British Columbia. The campaign is part of the important B.C. initiative to reduce fire-related deaths and injuries.

Green and Vernon Fire Rescue Services continue to build on their highly successful 2012 campaign. Last fall, they partnered with the Vernon Silver Star Rotary Club and Johnston Meier Insurance Agencies Group in not only testing smoke alarms of almost 300 mobile home park residences, but also supplying and installing new alarms if residents did not have one. For 2013, a new partner, Okanagan Restoration, has joined the local campaign with the goal of a working smoke alarm in every household in Vernon.

Bond, the president of the Fire Chiefs' Association and Surrey fire chief Len Garis, with the support from the BC Office of the Fire Commissioner, launched the original provincewide campaign last March. Since then, almost 50 communities throughout B.C. have partnered with fire service personnel and local organizations in raising awareness about the importance of a working smoke alarm as well as testing and replacing those alarms if needed. This community-driven initiative continues to gain momentum as more communities and partners come on board.

Quotes:

Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond -

"As this important initiative moves into its second year, I'm delighted that more communities are joining the campaign to have a working smoke alarm in every home in B.C. From the leadership of Chief Garis, to work being done at the local level along with all the partners involved, we'll continue our goal of reducing fire-related deaths throughout the province.

"Without the work being done by people like Ann Hancock, this campaign would not be the success that it is. It's my honour to present the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal to her today."

Len Garis, president, Fire Chiefs' Association of BC /City of Surrey fire chief -

"The initiative to have a working smoke alarm in every home continues to grow, thanks to people like Ann Hancock. I'm so pleased to see that Ann is receiving the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for all the work that she does. She is a most-deserving recipient. "

Keith Green, Vernon fire chief -

"The success of our 2012 campaign highlights the importance of having a working smoke alarm in the home. Thanks to the Vernon Silver Star Rotary Club and Johnston Meier Insurance Agencies Group we were able to help many local residents either test or replace their smoke alarms. In 2013, we'll continue towards our ultimate goal of a working smoke alarm in every home in Greater Vernon."

Quick Facts:

• Data from the Office of the Fire Commissioner shows that in 11,000 residential fires in B.C. from 2006 to 2011, nearly 70 per cent of the fire scenes examined either had no smoke alarm or the smoke alarm was not working.

• Based on two decades of fire-related data, research also predicts that working smoke alarms could reduce annual fire deaths by as much as 32 per cent and save 76 lives across Canada each year.

• Research also shows that the risk of fire-related fatalities is greater for households with young children, older adults or people with disabilities, as well as people who live in rental units, households in low-income areas, rural communities and First Nations reserves.

• The smoke alarm campaign has attracted partners including Kidde Canada, Black Press, Shaw Cable, B.C.'s Office of the Fire Commissioner, the Fire Chiefs' Association of BC, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Insurance Brokers' Association of BC, the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, Food Banks BC, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, and others.

• The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal is a tangible way to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country.

• The government of B.C., all MLAs and ministers are involved in awarding approximately 760 medals during the year and ensuring they reach as many deserving people in the province as possible.

Learn More:

To view a public service message created by the Fire Chiefs' Association of BC, go to: www.workingsmokealarms.ca

Information about the smoke alarm campaign is at: www.fcabc.ca

Contact:

Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 356-6961