Community groups across Canada can get support to organize local Wildfire Community Preparedness Day events

GUELPH, ON, Jan. 22, 2019 /CNW/ - Canadians can now apply for funding to support their local Wildfire Community Preparedness Day activities, and join municipalities from coast to coast in a national effort to reduce wildfire risk to local homes and environments.

Successful applicants can use funding from May 5, 2019 through October to host Wildfire Community Preparedness Day events that raise awareness of wildfire risk, help protect homes, and encourage neighbourhoods to improve wildfire resiliency through "FireSmart" activities including proper maintenance and clearing of dead or combustible vegetation, wildfire-resilient landscaping, and using fire-resistant roofing materials.

This annual, national program was launched by FireSmart Canada in collaboration with
The Co-operators, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction. In 2018, a total of $47,000 was awarded to 94 successful community applicants across Canada.

"The Wildfire Community Preparedness Day campaign is a very exciting time of year for FireSmart Canada," says Laura Stewart, president of FireSmart Canada. "We are eager to see applications come in from communities who are taking action to reduce the risk of wildfire affecting their community." 

Since 2014, The Co-operators has partnered with the NFPA and FireSmart Canada to drive wildfire resiliency efforts and advocacy to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of wildfires across Canada.

"As wildfire seasons become longer and more severe, it is important that Canadians are aware of the risk and actions they can take to help mitigate that risk," says Maya Milardovic, director of Government Relations at The Co-operators. "Through this funding, we are helping communities to come together across the country to take proactive steps to make their communities safer and more resilient." 

To learn more about Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and to submit an application for funding, visit: firesmartcanada.ca/wildfire-community-preparedness-day-2019/

About The Co-operators:
The Co-operators Group Limited is a Canadian co-operative with more than $42.5 billion in assets under administration. Through its group of companies, it offers home, auto, life, group, travel, commercial and farm insurance, as well as investment products. The Co-operators is well known for its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability. The Co-operators is listed among the Best Employers in Canada by Aon Hewitt and Corporate Knights' Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada. For more information, visit www.cooperators.ca

About Fire Smart Canada
FireSmart Canada is the go-to national program committed to helping Canadians reduce their wildfire risk and become fire adapted through community-based solutions.  FireSmart is administered by Partners in Protection; a non-profit coalition of federal, provincial, indigenous communities, private industry and municipal fire, emergency and land management experts. Through publications, programs, outreach training, and workshops, FireSmart Canada provides tools for Canadians to become pro-active in reducing the risk of wildfire to their homes and communities. FireSmart programs and products are supported through membership and ongoing active support from organizations such as the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, the National Fire Protection Association and The Co-operators. For more information on FireSmart visit www.firesmartcanada.ca.

About NFPA
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global non-profit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering our mission. Our mission is to help save lives and reduce loss with information, knowledge and passion. Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is based on or adapted from materials provided and owned by the National Fire Protection Association, a Massachusetts, USA not-for-profit corporation, all rights reserved.

About ICLR
ICLR's mission is to reduce the loss of life and property caused by severe weather and earthquakes through the identification and support of sustained actions that improve society's capacity to adapt to, anticipate, mitigate, withstand and recover from natural disasters. ICLR is achieving its mission through the development and implementation of its programs Open for business, to increase the disaster resilience of small businesses, Designed for safer living, to increase the disaster resilience of homes, and RSVP cities, to increase the disaster resilience of communities.

SOURCE The Co-operators