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Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce report: Alarm giveaway raises awareness

A campaign to help prevent fire deaths in Flin Flon has gone over well, Fire Chief Chad Cooper told the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.
Flin Flon Chamber of Commerce
Chad Cooper speaks to the Flin Flon Chamber of Commerce during their meeting Tuesday.

A campaign to help prevent fire deaths in Flin Flon has gone over well, Fire Chief Chad Cooper told the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.

Cooper was the chamber’s invited guest for the meeting, held at the Friendship Centre Restaurant.

He provided an update on the Flin Flon Fire Department’s recent smoke alarm campaign. As of Tuesday, the department had given away and installed 95 of 100 free smoke alarms provided by Manitoba’s Office of the Fire Commissioner.

“It’s been a huge success, and it’s actually opened a lot of eyes within the community,” said Cooper, referring to the program. “A lot of people just take (smoke alarms) for granted. They don’t check them and some don’t even know if they have any.”

Cooper advised delegates to check their smoke alarms monthly, change batteries yearly and replace alarms either after 10 years or after their expiry date.

He recommended chamber members create fire plans for their businesses, including naming fire wardens, making escape plans and keeping logs of smoke alarm tests and fire extinguisher training.

Cooper also discussed the department’s new method of letting firefighters know about a blaze: an automated system that includes sending text messages and calls to members and allowing them to see who will respond.

“It’s critical for the officer showing up at the fire hall to know how many people are coming,” said Cooper.

Housing consultation

The chamber received a letter from the office of Manitoba’s Minister of Families Scott Fielding about a housing consultation for the Flin Flon area.

Fielding sought feedback on issues such as homelessness, the condition and availability of affordable housing, housing attrition and the affect of recent northern economic developments on housing markets.

The deadline for feedback was Wednesday. Chamber members added ideas to the group’s submission.

“I believe everyone thinks that affordable housing is an issue,” said chamber president Dianne Russell, to the agreement of those in attendance.

The chamber also received a letter from Minister of Education and Training Ian Wishart, focusing on the findings of a recent workforce training survey.

Conference

Members also discussed the recent Infusion Entrepreneurship Conference. While Community Futures Greenstone ran the conference, the chamber played a large part in helping organize the event. 

“I think it went really well considering it was year one,” said Russell. “We want to make sure people know that it’s for everybody.”

Several chamber members who attended Tuesday’s meeting also attended the conference, and shared their experiences. 

Miscellaneous

The chamber will order a wreath from the Royal Canadian Legion to be laid at the Legion’s upcoming Remembrance Day ceremony.

Russell will represent the chamber and will lay the wreath.

Complaints about parking in the uptown area were also brought up during the meeting. Chamber meetings are held at the Flin Flon Aboriginal Friendship Centre, and several members had in the past voiced concerns about parking in the area during meeting times. The chamber has not yet decided on a response to the concerns.

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