On behalf of the Executive Board and the Members of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, Local 867, I.A.F.F. I would like to congratulate Shane Ferguson on the "Staying Alive" web site and the Great Escape CD. We fully endorse the work that Shane has done, and continues to do and are proud to have him as an active member of our great Union.

Public Relations is very important to our Union and members such as Shane, who do so much to promote good public relations, are a great asset to our Local.

The I.A.F.F. represents over 275,000 Fire Fighters in over 3600 Locals throughout North America. It represents Locals in cities large and small in Canada and the U.S. All of these Locals are eligible to make nominations to the I.A.F.F. Media Awards Contest. We were pleased to nominate www.stayingalive.ca, in the category for Best IAFF Affiliate Public Relations Campaigns in the I.A.F.F. Media Awards Contest and were proud when Shane Ferguson's web site won second place in this prestigious awards contest.

Fire Fighters know and understand only too well what fire can do to people and property. No one ever expects that it will "happen to me" but the "Great Escape" makes being prepared interesting and exciting. Everyone needs to be prepared for the unthinkable, to be prepared in case fire strikes, and to ensure that every member of every family knows what to do. The Great Escape encourages everyone, and especially children, to develop and practice a home escape plan, to practice fire prevention and to develop fire safety skills that will help to protect them forever.

The Great Escape CD-ROM teaches fire safety in a fun way so that children enjoy practicing their fire safety skills, and if even one child's life is saved, or one child is saved from the horror of a burn or a scald and the physical and psychological scarring that goes with it then the Great Escape has done a great service.

We thank Shane for his work, we congratulate him his success and hope that he will continue with the projects that do so much to teach, to inform and to promote fire safety.

Alex Forrest, President
United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg
Local 867, International Association of Fire Fighters