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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Spotless and shiny hallways, colourful students' names posted on the classroom doors and welcome signs above the main entrances are sure signs of the beginning of a new school year.

St. Joseph School Grade 2 students Mary Lantz, back row left, and Riley Tobin; front row, from left, Ben Bonnetrouge, Natalie Atigikyoak and Ethan Brown show off their finished class project about fire safety with their teacher Danielle Cuvelier, far left, and City of Yellowknife deputy fire chief Gerda Groothuizen on Sept. 28. - Katherine Hudson/NNSL photo

Another element of a fresh academic year is fire safety education.

The students are introduced to safety tips, drills and projects about fire prevention and safety - and for many of the younger children, this is their first familiarization with what to do in the event of a fire.

"It's very important, especially at school, for them to know exactly what to do in case there's a fire," said St. Joseph School Grade 2 teacher Danielle Cuvelier.

"A lot of them have some good ideas and have some fire escape planning that they've done with their family. Others have never done it so it gives them the idea to go home and start to practise it."

Cuvelier's class just finished a project listing potential fire situations students could find themselves in, ways to prevent fires and safety tips about what to do when there is a fire. The facts, written in shaky handwriting by a seven-year-old, are glued to a glittery red poster board with tiny traced hands presented as flames.

"We think it looks really good," said student Natalie Atigikyoak.

"We always talk about Stop, Drop and Roll and fire-escape planning, Get Out and Stay Out, what to do if a fire happens," said Cuvelier, adding she also touches on holiday fire safety - being aware of your costume around flames in jack-o'-lanterns and always unplugging the Christmas lights before bed.

Along with acquiring information about fire safety from parents, guardians and teachers, City of Yellowknife deputy fire chief Gerda Groothuizen visits schools throughout the city leading up to Fire Prevention Week.

"All the way through kindergarten to Grade 8, the teachers talk about fire safety and emergency evacuation in case of fire," said Simone Gessler, principal of Weledeh Catholic School.

"By the end of September, every classroom does three silent drills so they do indoor, outdoor and in case of intruder, internal or external."

Gessler said the entire school holds a fire drill within the first two weeks of school so students understand what the safety procedures are. She said each school in the Catholic school district has a primary and a secondary evacuation route.

"They line up and move silently though the halls, or out through there the closest doors in their designated area. Every staff member, every teacher has a folder that's green on one side and red on the other. They do a safety check to make sure they have all their students with them and then they hold up their folder, green if everyone's with them and red if somebody's unaccounted for," said Gessler.

During the more frigid winter months, the secondary evacuation process involves heading to the gym.

In total, the schools carry out six fire drills throughout the school year.

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