Altona/Rhineland Emergency Services had to get creative in promoting Fire Prevention Week this year as pandemic restrictions continued to limit public awareness opportunities in the communities it serves.

In a typical year, members offer up fire safety presentations in local schools, libraries and at events like the annual Grade 5 Safety Day. School classes and other groups of kids also have the chance to tour local fire halls. However, many, if not all, of these activities have been cancelled for the past year-and-a-half or so.

In an effort to stay connected and still have some fun with students, ARES launched a contest inviting creative submissions from all grade levels that depicted how they practice fire prevention in their daily lives. The winners would be announced on the department's social media.

Day 1 winner was Kezia Groening, a kindergarten student at Ecole Elmwood School in Altona.

The day 2 winner was Bria Groening who attends grade 4 at Ecole West Park school in Altona.

The third and final winner was the grade 10 team of Kinzie Friesen, Mackenzie Friesen and Kaily Schmidt from W.C. Miller Collegiate who submitted a video.

Each winner walked away with $25 in Chamber Bucks, and earned a ride to school in a fire truck.

 

Mackenzie Friesen and Kinzie Friesen cashed in on their ride to school on Thursday morning.