We are involved in the Multi-Family Housing Program where we focus our attention to apartment communities where the safety of one affects the safety of all. This program gathers all landlords in a Safety Training Forum on a quarterly basis.
In addition, we are involved in the School-to-Work Program where our firefighters and educators work closely with the Hillsboro School District to ensure children learn the right safety topics at the right age so they can make better decisions in the future. As they approach high school, we provide opportunities for students to learn more about fire safety and firefighting as a career. We also deliver a Spanish Language Outreach Program.
Lewisville (TX) Fire Department
Now please don’t get me wrong. I’m a firefighter, a truckie, and I like to go to the next “job” just like most firefighters, but I’ve also wore myself out trying to figure out just how we can keep more firefighters alive each year. Bottom line is as long as there are people we are going to go to work, to fires. But taking a stance of not wanting to be proactive is really not the platform anyone should be working from within this profession.
In Lewisville, our Fire Prevention folks as well as our line personnel do a very good job when it comes to educating the public. Could we do better? Absolutely! Heck that goes with anything we do. But we try to get out or in (when they come to a firehouse) and reach out to our community in several different areas. We like many fire departments instruct those in our community in a variety of areas and levels regarding fire prevention (fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, CO, etc.), but also include many other areas as well such as swimmer and boater safety and disaster preparation which is huge and covers so many areas that there isn’t enough room to list them here.
Simply put, if we are really, truly, going to believe in and support the concept that “Everyone Goes Home,” then a major part of that has to be educating the public on how not to get themselves, and us, into trouble in the first place.
Response: I use the “NO Dragons for Tea” fire safety for children a book by Pendzwol. Firefighters need only hand the book to the teachers to read and point out items as they are mentioned in the story. I also use “Dusty the Smoke Smeller Dragon” Puppet routine by Steve Axtell.com for a great Ventriloquist type show . We have provided every elementary school library in Alabama with copies of the book so teachers and librarians can teach the 6 fire escape skills every child should know. We have also provided copies of the new interactive fire safety teaching cds from Fire facts.org so that teachers can show a virtual fire truck rides,simulated fire escape drills, and safety messages. When teachers show the programs and the children talk later to firefighters, they already know most of the information that can save their lives.See Firehouse Magazine April 2008 “Fire Departments Discover Dragons” by Greta Sharp.
Just started our newest program “Disaster and evacuation education for kids” A talking Toucan robot /puppet talks about what a disaster is and when you “Got to know when to Go”.Also included is what you need to take to a storm shelter.
16 years – Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial – Area departments – citizens – children come together to show support for the area'[s fire service members – procession to a church – service in church – Memorial Roll Call/Tower Bell Toll – procession to Frankfort Fire Administration – to Frankfort Firefighter’s Memorial site – Flag lowering/Bells 3-3-5/Taps – Companies dismissed – Camaraderie and Brotherhood.