Richard Froese
Businesses and fire protection are vital in any community.
Over the next three weeks, both of those valuable aspects of a community are being celebrated.
National Fire Prevention Week runs Oct. 6-12.
Small Business Week will be celebrated Oct. 20-26.
It is a great time to thank local firefighters and local small businesses for their service and everything they do to make life better for residents.
Last year, fire departments in local regions were overburdened fighting wildfires that swept across northern Alberta. It was the worst wildfire season in the province on record.
Plenty of much-needed rain in late winter and early spring saturated the ground in many northern regions and averted any threat of wildfires sweeping the region as it did in 2023.
However, many local fire departments report growing numbers of various other calls over last year and many are even reaching record-high numbers of total calls in one year. It reminds people to be cautious in a variety of activities they do each day.
Firefighters frequently respond to motor vehicle collisions and vehicle fires. Hundreds of thousands of vehicles (if not millions) travel on highways and byways daily throughout northern Alberta and many mishaps are caused by speeding or driver error of some sort.
Drivers are urged to simply slow down and be aware of their surroundings, especially near wildland areas and wildlife, playground and school zones, residential areas and places with heavy volume of traffic.
Driving fast might save time to get to point B but a simple error by a driver may cost a life.
Be safe in every activity.
Thank you, firefighters!
Small businesses are the backbone of rural regions. A figure of 98 per cent of businesses in Canada are small businesses – with under 100 employees, according to Small Business Week information from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Their economic significance and contribution to Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) and workforce are huge.
It is tough being a small business and tougher still in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. Many of the challenges small businesses face – supply chain issues, labour shortages and regulatory complexity – were intensified in the past three years.
While the significant impact of the pandemic in Canada and much of the world are over, half of small businesses in Canada are still in recovery and making below-normal revenues.
More than ever, small businesses need shoppers in their local community to support them.
Shop local – buy local! Without local shoppers, small businesses can suffer and even be forced to close their doors.
When people shop and buy at local businesses, it goes a long way to build and sustain a community.
Shop at hometown businesses and keep the local economy going and growing.
Thank you, small businesses!