November 9, 2011 – Voting for the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) and The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS) College Fire Safety Video Contest has come to a close and the public chose three winning submissions.
Dan Nguyen of Columbia University and Tampa, Fla. came in first with his video “College Fire Safety Tips,” Katelyn Watkinson of Vancouver Island University and Nanaimo, British Columbia came in second with her entry “Adults Need Fire Safety Too,” and Anthony Gentles of Northeastern University and Lowell, Mass. placed third with his “Fire Prevention Video.”
Based on thousands of votes by the public, the original group of 10 finalists was narrowed down to three winners, which were selected based on the highest number of votes received. The top three winners will receive Amazon gift cards and their public service announcement videos will be offered for use by television stations located in markets where the students’ universities are located as well as the their hometowns. The three winning videos are available for viewing on Sparky’s birthday page.
“As many college students live on their own for the first time in on- or off-campus housing, they have to be vigilant and take responsibility for their own well-being,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of communications. “Learning about fire safety is a big part of that. These students have done a terrific job driving home the importance of college fire safety with their creative, educational videos.”
The College Fire Safety Video Contest was offered by NFPA and The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS), where NFPA mascot Sparky the Fire Dog® asked students to create 30- or 60-second video PSAs showcasing the importance of fire safety. College students were asked to submit a video during Campus Fire Safety Month in September, and public voting kicked off for Fire Prevention Week and ran through the month of October.
“The hope is these fire safety videos will resonate with college kids because they were made by college kids,” said Paul D. Martin, president of CCFS and Chief of the Inspection and Investigations Branch for the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control. “If the PSA’s prompt students to pay attention to fire prevention and safety, then we’ve accomplished our goal.”
About The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS)
The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS) is a non-profit organization devoted to reducing the loss of life from fire at our nation’s campuses. The mission of The Center for Campus Fire Safety is to serve as an advocate for the promotion of campus fire safety. CCFS serves as the focal point for the efforts of a number of organizations and also as a clearinghouse for information relating to campus fire safety.
About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.
