October 8, 2014
Hazelwood FD Spreads Fire Safety
Recipes
Serve Up Comfort
Around Town
11
3
Inspiration Gallery
Every year, Hazelwood firefighters, like Ted Naughton (left) and Joey Kohnen make visits to local schools and bring their “House of Hazards” display for classroom presentations to teach children about fire safety during National Fire Prevention Month in October. In 2014, they will be launching an Essay Contest at McNair and Russell Elementary Schools for fifth graders, giving students a chance to write a one- or twopage essay on what they learned from the firefighters and possibly win a ride to school in one of the City’s fire trucks.
Photo courtesy city of Hazelwood
Essay contest newest tool in fire safety education The personnel of the Hazelwood Fire Department know they have an important message to get out. Each October, they go teach children fire safety during National Fire Prevention Month. The department’s call area includes more than 1,200 children within five grade schools and multiple pre-schools and daycare centers. “We think it’s important to get the word out, so we take the month-long time to get the schools covered,” said Battalion Chief Randy Getz, the department’s public information officer. The department has used various methods to get the message out. These have included handing out literature on fire prevention and what to do when there is a fire. However, Getz said decreased funding has the department looking to be more creative. Firefighter/Paramedic Amanda Boyer came up with the idea to have students take part in an essay contest. Fifth-grade students at McNair and Russell elementary schools will write a one- to two-page essay on what they learn from presentations given by Hazelwood Fire Department personnel. “When children know they have to write something about a classroom presentation, they tend to pay more attention to what’s being said and internalize what they learn by putting it in writing,” Boyer said. Boyer, Getz, firefighters union rep Gerard Hagedon and firefighter/paramedic Jim Cacciabando finalized the details of the project. They then coordinated with teachers and instruction specialists at the
schools to make it fit with the students’ writing class curriculum, which is emphasizing non-fiction writing this year. Those teachers and instruction specialists will determine how the essays are graded. The firefighter/paramedics will give the presentation on Oct. 8 at McNair and Oct. 17 at Russell. The students will have two weeks from the date of the presentation to turn in their essays. Teachers will select five finalists in each school and then fire department officials will meet with them and review the essays. The winners, two from each school, will get to ride to school in one of the city’s fire trucks on a date in November. They will arrive with their classmates lined up outside to greet them. The theme for the essays will be this year’s National Fire Protection Association theme — Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month. Getz said the essay contest is meant to engage students. “It allows us to get more mileage out of our fire safety education program than just handing out educational literature,” he said. “Kids get more out of it because they have to pay attention and remember what is said during the classroom presentations. And, offering a fun ride to school in a fire truck gives them motivation to do a good job on their essays.” The contest also is viewed as an indirect means of getting the message out to parents in the community, Getz said. “We get the kids enthused about fire safety and about escape planning in the homes, and, in turn, the parents realize the importance of making an escape plan
By Shawn Clubb
in the home,” he said. Personnel also will be going to speak to younger children and those at private schools. They will speak about smoke detectors, fire safety in the home, exit drills and escape planning. They show a video and someone will dress out in turnout gear in front of the younger children. “We always think it’s a good idea for the youngest children to know what a firefighter looks like with his turnout gear on in a non-threating setting, so they are not surprised by the appearance of a firefighter in the setting of the home,” Getz said. Those students also get to go outside to see a fire truck and the equipment. “We want to take a hands-on approach to make sure the kids understand how important this message is,” Getz said.
Special Feature
5
Banking & Finance
Fall Festival
8
Sunday, October 12
The Skeleton Twins photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
Movie FREE Online Subscription at mycnews.com
7