FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM
How SUCCESSFUL IS VOURS?
FIRE PREVENTION
All photos by Farmington Hills Fire Department.
Successful Fire Prevention Week activities require imagination, participation, professionalism, impact, and fun.
Are you looking for ways to give new life to your open house during the next Fire Prevention Week? The Farmington Hills (MI) Fire Department has developed innovative and exciting ways to help make this one-day event a success in terms of public fire education and public relations.
The fire department stresses the importance of prevention as a means of addressing the fire problem within the community. A continuing fire education program is carried into the school, the home, and the business sector.
The most effective way to promote the open house and Fire Prevention Week is through assemblies held in every elementary school throughout the public and private school systems. Last year two members of our department’s clown troupe wrote a script, built a portable stage, and took the fire safety message “Big fires start small” into the schools. We performed this one-act play 33 times to a total of 6,032 students and 293 teachers. These assemblies are the perfect opportunity for inviting teachers, students, and their families to the open house, as they are held in the two weeks prior to the event.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Last year our 12th annual open house attracted more than 5,000 people from more than 27 area cities. During the four-hour event more than 70 uniformed firefighters greet friends and neighbors and share fire safety messages with them. Additional staff consists of spouses, the local ambulance company (CEMS), scout groups, and our secretarial staff. The event is held on the grounds of fire headquarters. There are programs for audiences of all ages. The emphasis is always on the educational message, but it is delivered in an entertaining way.
Demonstrations during the last open house included auto extrications, car fires, kitchen fires, and “Stop, Drop, and Roll” fire safety for children. Guests included Sparky the Fire Dog, Smokey the Bear, a magician, and the fire department clown troupe. Refreshments, balloons, a charity dunk tank, and an antique fire truck were featured outdoors. The most popular event was the two-story fire safety house, in which we demonstrated the value of planning and practicing a family fire escape plan. More than 600 people “escaped” during the event.
Indoors we held a consumers’ fair. Representatives from Oakland County Public Health, Detroit Edison, Consumers Power, AAA, Botsford Hospital, University of Michigan Burn Center, and the city’s Police Crime Prevention Unit were on hand to answer questions about the services they provide to the public. Other indoor events included safety videos, coloring contests, puppet shows, 911 phone demonstrations, firefighter dress up, and blood pressure screenings.
FIRE PEMON
FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM: HOW SUCCESSFUL IS YOURS?
A RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Budgeting is an important part of planning for the open house. Firefighters’ salaries are the single largest expense. Some expenses can be offset if area merchants donate printing and advertising services. Last year the local Optimists Club provided food service and donated S300 to our local smoke detector program.
The total cost for our last open house was a little more than S3,500. This averaged out to S.70 per attendee. Obviously this investment represents a wise return of tax dollars to the community.
FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM: HOW SUCCESSFUL IS YOURS?
Measuring the success of our open house presents a real challenge. Often the benefits are realized years after the lessons have been learned. The fire department documented one case of a woman who experienced a kitchen fire in her home. She attributes her ability to handle the emergency to a kitchen fire demonstration she saw at our open house.
In 1989 we responded to 398 actual fires, a decrease of 19 percent from 1988. The total estimated dollar loss as a result of the fires for that year was S 1,337,487, a decrease of 21 percent. The reduction can be attributed to a commitment to fire prevention, public education, and an ongoing inspection program.
A successful fire department open house makes fire safety education its primary goal. The added benefit of good public relations can make the event even more rewarding. The investment in time and effort is great, but so is the end result.
