Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services has brought Kelli Ireland on as its new Fire and Life Safety Educator. Ireland previously worked with the City of Medicine Hat as a corporate communications specialist for four and a half years before accepting her new role with fire services.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
The Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services has created a new job position to expand its public communication and empower the community with knowledge and resources to stay safe when faced with emergency.
Kelli Ireland will be spearheading the new role of ‘Fire and Life Safety Educator’ and will focus on developing and implementing innovative fire safety and prevention programs for school, community groups, businesses and seniors through presentations, workshops and training sessions.
Ireland says she will expand on the critical work and responsibilities already performed by local fire prevention officers who are required to perform other daily tasks that include conducting building and structure inspections and identifying local fire hazards.
“They have so many other responsibilities that the public education piece definitely has an opportunity to be improved,” says Ireland. “I know our chief thinks this is the way of the future in making people feel empowered and educated. That’s why they hired me to really ramp up this public education piece.”
In the new role, Ireland will be publicly promoting fire safety initiatives and events throughout the community as well as utilizing social media and other media platforms to develop media plans, promotions, advertisements and press releases related to fire and emergency planning activities.
“(In) my new role I will be out a lot more in the community, I will be the one that comes to the classrooms and visits seniors homes,” says Ireland, who explains seniors may encounter different risks than children during emergency events.
“When we are talking to seniors, for example, it’s not just about what to do in case of a fire. It’s also fall prevention … There’s other components to this program that will be just a vital as fire prevention.
“What does life safety look like for a kindergartner? What does life safety look like for someone in Grade 12? The topics and opportunities are endless. We just have to look at what’s most relevant to our community.”
Ireland will also be helping execute the service’s ‘After the Fire’ community engagement and home inspection program that follows up with neighbours of a community following a nearby fire. The program provides residents a free house inspection as well as an opportunity to ask questions or address any concerns in the days after the flames have been put out.
Ireland was born and raised in Medicine Hat and taught at the college for two and a half years where she helped develop new programming for MHC’s business departments. She is also an active volunteer with Big Brothers and Big Sisters and also coaches girls hockey.
Before accepting the new role, Ireland worked as a corporate communications specialist for the City of Medicine Hat for more than four and a half years and has been an active volunteer in the community.
“To me this community is so important, and I want nothing more than for it to be this beautiful place that my kids get to grow up in,” she says. “I’m just so thrilled to be part of that and share a message that could save somebody’s life.”
