Calgary, Alberta – The Calgary-based John Petropoulos Memorial Fund (JPMF) has announced the launch of the Driving For Change campaign, a new approach to promoting workplace safety for emergency services workers. The public awareness and fundraising campaign is a plea for motorists to watch for emergency services personnel at the side of the road, and to slow down when passing and give them room to work.
“We’re also urging organizations to think about building safety,” said Ian Wilson, Safety Campaign Manager for JPMF. “Emergency services workers often have to respond to unfamiliar surroundings in poor lighting and under stressful circumstances, so keep your workplace safe.”
A campaign monitor on the JPMF Web site symbolizes the undue care and attention shown by motorists when passing emergency services workers. The monitor is a speedometer currently set at 120 km/h, or double the legal limit of 60 km/h motorists are required to drive when passing emergency vehicles that have their lights flashing. For every $50,000 raised, the speedometer will drop by 10 km/h, and will sit at the legal passing speed of 60 km/h when the goal of $300,000 is reached.
The JMPF is a non-profit society that educates the public about its role in helping ensure emergency services personnel get home safely after each shift. It is named for Const. John Petropoulos of the Calgary Police Service, who was killed in the line of duty in 2000 when he fell through a false ceiling with no safety rail when investigating a break-and-enter call at a warehouse.
