A groundbreaking fire safety initiative was officially launched in Orillia on Friday at Orillia Fire Station 1 on Gill Street.
The Fire Prevention Officer (FPO) Mentorship Program, the first of its kind in Canada, has brought 10 FPOs from the Cree Nations of northern Québec to southern Ontario to train with experienced fire departments.
Over the past two weeks, Orillia hosted John Sanipass, the fire prevention officer for the Waswanipi Fire Department, located 10 hours north of Orillia. Sanipass was mentored by Orillia fire prevention officers, gaining hands-on experience in fire inspections, fire code enforcement, and prevention strategies that he can implement in his home community.
“We want them to take what they’ve learned back to their home communities,” said Orillia Fire Chief Chris Ferry. “We want every community to become more fire safe.”
The program was developed with the support of Emergency Management Group, a consulting firm, and involves 11 participating fire departments, including those from Kawartha Lakes, King, Kingston, Kitchener, Oakville, Rama, Richmond Hill, Sarnia, St. Catharines, and Windsor.
“We jumped at the chance to be a part of this right away,” Ferry said. “Our fire prevention staff are very knowledgeable and have decades of lived experience.”
Beyond the technical skills shared, Ferry emphasized the importance of building strong relationships between fire departments, both locally and across the country.
“We have great relationships with our neighbouring fire departments,” he said. “But we wanted to take this on to more of a national level and help our fellow fire departments. It’s a great opportunity to share and learn between the two departments.”
The exchange was mutually beneficial, as Orillia’s fire crews also gained insights into Cree First Nation traditions and perspectives on fire safety.
“We have a very close relationship with Rama First Nation and we are always learning from them,” Ferry said. “But it’s a little bit different learning from a Cree First Nation, and we got to learn some of their traditions, which is beneficial to everyone.”
For Sanipass, the experience was invaluable.
“I’ve learned so much even though I was just here for two weeks,” he said. “I’m so appreciative that I’ll be able to go back home and apply what I’ve learned.”
Sanipass noted that witnessing Orillia’s fire prevention efforts firsthand has given him extra motivation to implement similar strategies back home.
“You can learn from a book or schooling, but having this hands-on experience with the staff gives me so many tools that I can put on my belt now,” he said. “Everybody here has been so accepting, welcoming, and willing to help. It’s been great.”
Sanipass’s first day in Orillia coincided with a major blaze that destroyed a historic downtown building, causing an estimated $4 million in damages. The event served as an unexpected but invaluable training experience.
“Unfortunately, we lost a historic building here in Orillia,” he said. “It’s by far the biggest fire I’ve ever worked on, and it could have gotten a lot worse. Thankfully, Orillia Fire and surrounding departments were able to get it out.”
Observing how the Orillia team managed the fire provided key takeaways for Sanipass.
“Watching them go through the different steps to get it out and seeing who takes care of what was important,” he said. “If we have a fire of that size in our community back home, I’ll be more aware of how to take care of it and what steps to take.”
Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac praised the mentorship program and its long-term benefits for fire safety in northern communities.
“The work you do is essential,” McIsaac said. “The knowledge you gain through this program and the relationships that you’ll make will have a lasting impact.”