Published 8:45 am Monday, October 5, 2026 By Jill Westerman Northern News Services Firefighters in Rankin Inlet and Arviat will be taking fire safety lessons into schools as communities mark Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 4-10. This year’s National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) theme is ‘Charge into fire safety: safe charging is a superpower,’ and focuses on preventing fires caused by lithium-ion batteries and encouraging people to charge rechargeable devices safely. In Kivalliq communities, however, firefighters are also concentrating on some of the everyday fire hazards and emergency practices they encounter locally. Rankin Inlet deputy fire chief George Aksadjuak said firefighters are planning presentations for children during the week, either at the fire hall or in the schools. The department’s presentations will incorporate this year’s theme, although lithium-ion battery fires have not been a major problem in the community. “Not a whole lot, but we did have one incident regarding the lithium-ion battery,” Aksadjuak said. Sheds and houses are among the types of fires the department more commonly responds to, he noted. Aksadjuak said Rankin Inlet has four full-time firefighters as well as volunteers. Obtaining sufficient equipment can also be challenging in the North. “It takes a lot to get adequate equipment,” he said, particularly because it has to be shipped to the community. Regardless of the theme of Fire Prevention Week, Aksadjuak said some basic fire-safety messages remain consistent and important. “Make sure your smoke detectors are working,” he said. “Have a plan, escape plan.” Emergencies only In Arviat, Fire Chief Jason Nungirq said his volunteer department also makes education a major part of Fire Prevention Week, visiting schools and using local radio to talk about fire safety and the work of firefighters. Nungirq said the department plans to visit the elementary, middle and high schools during the week. One of the messages he wants young people to understand is that the fire department’s emergency telephone line is designated for emergencies. Nungirq said the department has received calls in the past from people using the line for non-emergency reasons, including trying to locate family members. He raised another concern: children following fire trucks when firefighters are responding to a call. Nungirq said youth sometimes run behind or alongside the truck as it travels to an emergency, something firefighters warn them not to do. Arviat’s department is made up of volunteers, with Nungirq estimating it currently has about 16 or 17 members. He said firefighters can also depend on help from others in the community during emergencies, including RCMP and municipal workers. The fire chief said the department responds to a variety of fires, including occasional vehicle, all-terrain vehicle and shed fires. He added that the department needs additional equipment. Safety tips The Nunavut Fire Marshal’s Office recommends that residents test smoke alarms monthly, make sure adults and children recognize the sound and know what to do when an alarm goes off. Families should also know their local fire department’s emergency number and develop and practise a home fire escape plan. The office has also advised Nunavummiut to watch for electrical hazards particularly relevant in the North, including overloaded outlets, damaged extension cords and unsafe use of heaters and generators. Residents should keep space heaters at least one metre from anything that can burn, avoid overloading electrical outlets and operate generators outside and away from doors, windows and vents. For rechargeable devices, this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign recommends using chargers supplied or approved by the manufacturer, charging devices on a hard surface rather than a bed or couch and unplugging devices when they are fully charged.
Kivalliq fire departments bring prevention message to schools
