Fire Chief Calls for Vigilance in Preventing Wild Fires, Yielding to Volunteer Firefighters

Published on: 2018/07/20 - in News

Following this week’s total open air burning ban, Kingston Fire & Rescue Chief Shawn Armstrong is urging residents to be extra vigilant to prevent wild fires.

He also reminds drivers to yield when they see volunteer firefighters – who use flashing green strobe lights on the dashboards of their personal vehicles – responding to emergency calls.

With the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority declaring a Level 1 Drought in the region on Thursday, conditions are so dry that fire services in the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) mutual aid area are utilizing a new fire-response protocol.

“Additional water resources from the neighbouring districts in the KFL&A will be dispatched under the mutual aid program to respond to 9-1-1 fire calls in areas that don’t have fire hydrants,” Armstrong explained.  “There’s no rain forecast until next week, and we are at high risk of a wild fire or grass fire situation.”

“Please respect the total burn ban,” said Armstrong. “And if you notice a green flashing light, make way for the volunteer firefighters.”

More information can be found at the City of Kingston’s Fire Prevention page.


Photo: PixaBay / StevePB (cc)