The Gravenhurst Fire Department’s newest piece of equipment won’t be used to fight fires, but it still serves an important purpose.
The department purchased a trailer, with help from the Gravenhurst Canadian Tire and Tim Hortons, that’s been dubbed “public education in motion.”
“It came about with, obviously, COVID and not being able to get out to schools and seniors centres, but still needing to get messaging out,” explains Kevin McKelvey, Fire Prevention Officer. He credits Dave Ford, who is the department’s public education officer, with thinking of the idea.
The department has been using the large sign in front of the Gravenhurst Opera House to get messaging across since the onset of the pandemic. “We got very good response from the town, from people driving by, walking by, so we just started thinking through what we could do,” McKelvey says.
The trailer was donated by Canadian Tire while the wrap, which was designed to make the trailer look like a fire truck, was covered by Tim Hortons. The cost of the sign was split between the department and Tim’s.
McKelvey says they hope to put a sign on the other side of the trailer in the future. He adds it’s unlikely they purchase a new trailer.
It’s currently parked at the department’s station on Barkway Road as they look to bring in more volunteers for that station. McKelvey says to expect to see the trailer around town frequently with messaging promoting recruitment and fire safety, especially
“Wherever we can park it with a message,” McKelvey says about where the trailer will be.