Put Yourself in Our Boots – Police

This 30-second public service announcement (PSA) is based on the death of Calgary Police Service Const. John Petropoulos. He passed away in the line of duty on Sept. 29, 2000 while investigating a break-and-enter complaint at a warehouse. John stepped through a false ceiling, fell nine feet into the lunchroom below and succumbed to brain injuries. There was no safety railing to warn him, or anyone else, of the danger. There was no intruder in the building and the call ended up being a false alarm. The purpose of the PSA, which features actual police officers, is to use real-life examples of workplace hazards faced by emergency responders and make the viewer think about occupational health & safety from the perspective of first responders. The TV spot, which has been broadcast across Canada and parts of the U.S., is part of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund’s Put Yourself in Our Boots safety campaign, which includes a 10-minute safety video, a series of PSAs, posters, safety tip sheets and other resources.

Put Yourself in Our Boots – EMS

This TV spot highlights a common danger faced by first responders: bad driving habits. It’s based on actual experiences of paramedics who were trying to transport patients safely to the hospital when they encountered dangerous traffic situations. The purpose of the PSA, which features real paramedics instead of actors, is to make viewers think about how their actions behind the wheel can impact emergency responders and those they’re trying to help. It encourages drivers to stay alert behind the wheel and yield to approaching emergency vehicles. The 30-second spot, which has been broadcast across Canada and parts of the U.S., is part of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund’s Put Yourself in Our Boots safety campaign, which includes a 10-minute safety video, a series of PSAs, posters, safety tip sheets and other resources.

Put Yourself in Our Boots – Fire

This 30-second PSA draws attention to unsafe workplaces and their potentially deadly impact on emergency responders. The TV spot features real firefighters instead of actors and it’s based on actual hazards they’ve encountered at work sites. It highlights several workplace hazards, including clutter, blocked exits and improperly stored materials. We hope that after viewers watch this PSA they will look at their own workplace from the point of view of emergency responders and take steps to make their workplace safer for everyone. The TV spot, which has been broadcast across Canada and parts of the U.S., is part of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund’s Put Yourself in Our Boots safety campaign, which includes a 10-minute safety video, a series of PSAs, posters, safety tip sheets and other resources.

Put Yourself in Our Boots Safety Video

The Put Yourself in Our Boots campaign is intended to make people think about workplace safety from the point of view of emergency responders and equip them with the tools to make changes in their workplaces. The campaign includes a 10-minute safety video that highlights the story of Const. John Petropoulos, who passed away in the line of duty when he fell through a false ceiling while investigating a break and enter complaint at a warehouse. The safety video includes interviews with police officers who were there the night John died, as well as his widow Maryanne Pope. It also examines workplace safety for all emergency responders. Interviews with police, fire, and EMS personnel and feedback from workplace health and safety professionals provide viewers with tangible tips they can use to keep their workplaces safe for those needing to respond to their premises. As well, the safety video stresses the importance of traffic safety, because the workplace of emergency responders is every place, including roads.

When you make your workplace safe for emergency responders, you make it safe for everyone, including your own employees. Put Yourself in Our Boots is a call to action to think about workplace safety from a different perspective: that of someone entering an unfamiliar workplace after hours, in poor lighting, and during a highly stressful situation – such as a fire, medical emergency, or a crime in progress. Learn more at www.OurBoots.ca.

SLOW DOWN: It’s No Picnic Out Here

This public service announcement highlights the dangers faced by first responders at emergency scenes and traffic calls. The TV spot, which has aired throughout Canada and parts of the U.S. since 2006, features police officers, paramedics, firefighters and tow-truck drivers playing games in a picnic setting until midway through when a firefighter asks “What is it you think we’re doing?” The PSA then shows first responders doing their jobs at an emergency scene before announcing: “Please give us room to work and slow down, because it’s no picnic out here.” The TV spot is accompanied by posters, print PSAs and decals which can be found on emergency vehicles across Western Canada.

Make Your Workplace Safe for Everyone

This TV spot – the first PSA created by the JPMF – is a highly emotional and personal message that focuses on the relationship between John Petropoulos and his wife Maryanne Pope, as well as his pursuit of his lifelong dream of becoming a police officer. This is contrasted with images of John’s funeral and the impact his death had on Maryanne. The purpose of the PSA is to convey the importance of making workplaces safe for everyone, including emergency responders.