Celebrating Fire Prevention Week

Celebrating Fire Prevention Week at Cedar!

Firemen visit Cedar along with their firefighting canine Hydro during fire prevention week

By Ronda Tomocvik, Principal

In honor of the 100-year anniversary of National Fire Prevention Week, Cedar Bulldogs celebrated with week-long classroom activities, an all-school assembly, a Firefighter appreciation parade, and a luncheon provided by the Cedar staff. Cedar’s fire prevention week was coordinated by our third-grade teacher and firefighter enthusiast Miss Sophia Shaheen. As a culmination for Fire Prevention Week, students lined the hallways with student-made posters, fireman helmets, and banners, cheering on Fire Chief Bennett, his team, and the Canton Fire Department mascot Hydro. During the all-school assembly, students watched two firemen race to put on their fire gear, which took less than 2 minutes! Students also learned to not be afraid of the firefighters in their gear, as they are heroes ready to help save lives. Since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, today’s homes burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on an early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning. - Change your smoke detector batteries yearly. - Smoke alarms are only good for about ten years. Check your alarm’s manufacturing date when changing the batteries. - Make an escape plan with your family, so they know different ways to get out of the house.

- Choose a meeting place outside your home and practice going to the outside meeting place. Teach them to never go back inside a building that is on fire.

Our local heroes and Hydro from the Fire Department. Some children are curious about fire. Here are a few simple steps you can take to keep yourself and the people you love safe from fire and burns. - Teach your children to remain 3 feet away from anything that can get hot; such as space heaters, stovetops, candles, etc. - Keep smoking materials locked up in a high place. Never leave lighters or matches where children can reach them.

Kindergarten teacher Krista Teitel and her students welcome Canton Firefighters