{"id":2376,"date":"2026-08-14T12:16:23","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T19:16:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/?p=2376"},"modified":"2026-08-14T12:17:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T19:17:28","slug":"building-better-fire-safety-campaigns-lessons-from-youth-focused-programs-in-canada-and-the-united-states-and-the-rise-of-torch-the-turtle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/2026\/08\/14\/building-better-fire-safety-campaigns-lessons-from-youth-focused-programs-in-canada-and-the-united-states-and-the-rise-of-torch-the-turtle\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Better Fire Safety Campaigns: Lessons from Youth-Focused Programs in Canada and the United States \u2014 and the Rise of Torch the Turtle"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article is part of a series of posts led by CHASI Research Associate Len Garis, who has been a long-time partner of CHASI through his work with the\u00a0National Indigenous Fire Safety Council<\/a>. His guest blog posts explore a wide range of topics related to firefighting and firefighters in Canada. You can read all of his guest articles at this link<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

CHASI\u2019s collaborations with the NIFSC, and many of their other research works, can be found on our NIFSC Publications page<\/a>. For questions about the NIFSC and their work, please visit their <\/a><\/em>contact page<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Building Better Fire Safety Campaigns: Lessons from Youth-Focused Programs in Canada and the United States \u2014 and the Rise of Torch the Turtle<\/strong><\/h2>\n

By Len Garis & <\/em>Mandy Desautels<\/em><\/p>\n

Fire departments across Canada continue to confront a persistent challenge: how to deliver fire\u2011safety education that resonates with children, influences household behaviour, and reflects the realities of diverse communities. For Indigenous communities, the stakes are even higher. As the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council (NIFSC) report notes, \u201cFire-related incidents pose a disproportionally high threat to Indigenous peoples in Canada,\u201d<\/em> and the loss of homes, cultural spaces, and community infrastructure can have generational impacts.<\/p>\n

\"AnIn 2024, the NIFSC introduced Torch the Turtle<\/a>,\u00a0the first national Indigenous youth fire\u2011safety mascot \u2014 a culturally grounded character created by Indigenous children and designed to anchor future youth programming.<\/p>\n

Torch\u2019s emergence comes at a pivotal moment. The NIFSC\u2019s assessment of six major fire\u2011safety campaigns \u2014 Smokey Bear, Sparky the Fire Dog\u00ae, Ember\u2122 the Fire-Smart Fox, Prepare with Pedro, Amber\u2019s Fire Safety Campaign, and the Winter Home Safety Campaign \u2014 offers a roadmap for what works, what doesn\u2019t, and what Canadian fire services should prioritize as they build the next generation of youth fire\u2011safety education.<\/p>\n

Why Youth Fire Safety Campaigns Matter<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Children aged 3\u201313 are among the most effective conduits for fire\u2011safety messaging. They absorb information quickly, share it at home, and influence household behaviour. As a recent report emphasizes, \u201ceducating young individuals is especially important given that they are at higher risk of fire-related incidents.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

When campaigns are designed well, they create a multiplier effect: children learn, families adapt, and communities benefit. But designing a campaign that works requires more than posters and colouring sheets. It demands sustained effort, clear objectives, and a deep understanding of the target demographic.<\/p>\n

What the Best Campaigns Get Right<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Across all six case studies, several themes emerged \u2014 themes that Torch the Turtle now embodies as Canada\u2019s newest youth fire\u2011safety figure.<\/p>\n

Mascots Matter \u2014 and Torch Represents a New Generation<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Every successful youth campaign uses a mascot. Not just any mascot, but one that is approachable, memorable, culturally appropriate, and flexible enough to evolve over time.<\/p>\n

Sparky the Fire Dog\u00ae remains the gold standard. Smokey Bear demonstrates the power of longevity. Ember\u2122 the Fire-Smart Fox shows how modern wildfire realities require modern messaging.<\/p>\n

But none of these mascots were created by<\/em> Indigenous children for<\/em> Indigenous communities.<\/p>\n

Torch the Turtle changes that.<\/p>\n

Created through the NIFSC\u2019s national\u00a0 poster contest, Torch was created \u00a0by Ms. Keeshig\u2019s Kindergarten Class at Kikendaasogamig Elementary School in Neyaashiinigmiing, Ontario. His multi\u2011coloured shell symbolizes fire, diversity, pride, and cultural identity. Torch\u2019s story emphasizes bravery, leadership, and community responsibility \u2014 themes deeply rooted in Indigenous teachings.<\/p>\n

Torch is now the official national Indigenous youth fire\u2011safety mascot, with a French counterpart, Tison la Tortue. In October 2025, Torch the turtle was be formally introduced to the national fire\u2011service community during Fire Prevention Week on Parliament Hill \u2014 alongside Sparky the Fire Dog\u00ae \u2014 marking the first time Canada has launched a national Indigenous fire\u2011safety mascot with full federal visibility.<\/p>\n

Longevity Requires Stable Funding<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The campaigns with the highest scores \u2014 Sparky (91%) and Prepare with Pedro (85%) \u2014 share a critical trait: stable funding. The NFPA and American Red Cross have decades\u2011long revenue streams, merchandising strategies, and institutional support. This allows them to continuously update materials, invest in digital platforms, maintain national reach, and adapt to changing cultural expectations.<\/p>\n

By contrast, Indigenous\u2011created campaigns such as Amber\u2019s Fire Safety Campaign face fluctuating funding. Despite strong community relevance, limited resources constrain growth and long\u2011term sustainability.<\/p>\n

Torch\u2019s creation signals a shift: the NIFSC is now investing in a mascot with national reach, long\u2011term planning, and federal\u2011level visibility; but sustained funding will determine whether Torch becomes a Sparky\u2011level success or a short\u2011term initiative.<\/p>\n

Modern Language, Modern Tone<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Campaigns must evolve with society. Smokey Bear\u2019s early materials \u2014 rooted in mid\u2011century American culture \u2014 now feels dated and, at times, culturally insensitive. As the report notes, \u201cSmokey Bear materials did not start to meet the increasing diversity requirements of today\u2019s society until quite late in the game.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Prepare with Pedro excels at cultural inclusivity. Ember\u2122 uses modern wildfire science. Torch brings Indigenous cultural grounding and youth\u2011driven storytelling.<\/p>\n

For Canadian fire services, the lesson is clear: messaging must reflect Indigenous cultural realities, multilingual needs, modern family structures, trauma\u2011informed approaches, and community\u2011driven storytelling. Torch\u2019s origin \u2014 created by Indigenous children \u2014 gives him authenticity that no external mascot can replicate.<\/p>\n

Digital Delivery Is Now Mandatory<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Children live online, and campaigns that fail to meet them there simply do not reach them.<\/p>\n

Sparky\u2019s digital ecosystem \u2014 videos, games, apps, interactive badges \u2014 is unmatched. Prepare with Pedro innovates with voice\u2011activated games through Alexa and Google Assistant.<\/p>\n

Torch\u2019s digital presence is still emerging, but the NIFSC has already begun integrating him into classroom materials, online resources, social media outreach, and youth\u2011focused fire\u2011safety content. To succeed, Torch will need a dedicated website, interactive games, mobile\u2011friendly tools, and downloadable lesson plans.<\/p>\n

Demographic Clarity Drives Impact<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The highest\u2011ranked campaigns \u2014 Sparky and Prepare with Pedro \u2014 are also the only ones with clearly defined age groups. Sparky targets preschool to Grade 4; Pedro focuses on Kindergarten to Grade 2.<\/p>\n

Torch\u2019s initial materials target Kindergarten to Grade 6 \u2014 a promising start \u2014 but future development should include age\u2011specific content streams. Demographic clarity allows curriculum alignment, age\u2011appropriate messaging, measurable outcomes, and focused resource development.<\/p>\n

Torch\u2019s Role in Closing the Indigenous Fire\u2011Safety Gap<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Our report highlights a stark reality: \u201cThere are currently no known fire safety programs which specifically target Indigenous youth in Canada.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Torch is the first national attempt to change that.<\/p>\n

He is Indigenous\u2011created, culturally grounded, youth\u2011driven, nationally supported, and designed for long\u2011term use. Torch\u2019s emergence positions the NIFSC to build a full youth fire\u2011safety ecosystem \u2014 one that reflects Indigenous housing realities, languages, cultural teachings, and community priorities.<\/p>\n

The Path Forward \u2014 A Cohesive Blueprint for Canada<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Torch\u2019s introduction gives Canada something it has never had before: a culturally resonant mascot capable of anchoring a national Indigenous youth fire\u2011safety campaign, but Torch is only the beginning. His presence provides the foundation for a broader, modernized approach to youth fire\u2011safety education.<\/p>\n

The strongest campaigns in North America show that success requires more than a memorable character. It demands multi\u2011year funding, curriculum\u2011aligned materials, digital accessibility, and community\u2011driven content. Torch embodies the cultural grounding and youth appeal needed to capture attention; now the campaign must be built around him.<\/p>\n

A modern Canadian youth fire\u2011safety campaign must integrate Torch into a digital ecosystem that meets children where they are \u2014 online, interactive, and mobile. It must provide teachers with curriculum\u2011aligned lesson plans that make fire\u2011safety education easy to adopt. It must be shaped by Indigenous educators, Elders, youth, and fire personnel to ensure authenticity and relevance. It must also be supported by stable funding that allows for continuous growth, adaptation, and national reach.<\/p>\n

Taken together, these elements form a cohesive blueprint \u2014 not a checklist, but a narrative arc. Torch is the spark. Around him, Canada can build a modern, culturally grounded, digitally accessible, curriculum\u2011aligned, community\u2011driven youth fire\u2011safety campaign with national reach and long\u2011term sustainability. The path forward is clear; the opportunity is now.<\/p>\n

Authors<\/h3>\n

Len Garis is director of research for the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council,<\/em> Ret.<\/em> Fire Chief for the city of Surrey, B.C., Research Associate \u2013 University of the Fraser Valley, associate scientist emeritus with the B.C. Injury Research and Prevention Unit. Contact him at lwgaris@outlook.com<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Mandy Desautels <\/em>is Chief Administrative Officer at the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council. Prior to joining NIFSC, she worked for BC Emergency Health Services and prominent NGOs. Contact her at <\/em>mandy.desautels@indigenousfiresafety.ca<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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This article is part of a series of posts led by CHASI Research Associate Len Garis, who has been a long-time partner of CHASI through his work with the\u00a0National Indigenous Fire Safety Council. His guest blog posts explore a wide range of topics related to firefighting and firefighters in Canada. You can read all of … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":232,"featured_media":2378,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[339,340,329,330,326,386],"class_list":["post-2376","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","tag-firefighting","tag-indigenous-communities","tag-len-garis","tag-mandy-desautels","tag-nifsc","tag-youth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2376","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/232"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2376"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2376\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2381,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2376\/revisions\/2381"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2376"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2376"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ufv.ca\/chasi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2376"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}