The City of North Vancouver’s fire department is trying to stay connected with the community under the COVID-19 pandemic, and have created a virtual tour of one of their fire halls.
The idea for the kid-friendly online activity came from the firefighters themselves, said Mike Danks, assistant fire chief of operations and support.
“It’s a very unusual, unprecedented time right now that we can’t have people at the fire hall,” Danks told CKNW’s Mornings with Simi.
“So we were trying to find ways that we could still share the inner workings of the department with our community, and this seemed like a really good idea.”
The online tour takes visitors inside the fire trucks and displays the crews’ gear, including the personal protective equipment, such as gloves and face shields, worn when responding to possible coronavirus-related calls.
“That gear is a bit more involved and looks a bit more intimidating,” Danks said. “It’s really just to get the children and the community members comfortable with the way that we’re looking.”
He said both kids and adults have enjoyed the online tour, and the crew was happy to film it.
“This was a bit of a break for them. It was something fun for them to do.”
As for the most popular item on the tour, according to public feedback: “You’d be surprised, but a lot of people like the flashlights.”
You can go on the virtual tour by checking out the North Vancouver City Fire Department Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter pages.