The following approaches to fire safety education have enabled us at Livonia (MI) Fire & Rescue to present our messages to large audiences while keeping expenses negligible.
SAFETY “ON THE BAG”
It has been “safety on the bag” since our department has taken to promoting fire safety and fire prevention messages on grocery bags. Although not a brand new idea, it is a good way to remind community members about the importance of fire safety and teach them how to make their lives more fire safe.
I couldn’t believe how easy it was to convince the manager of Stan’s Markets, a two-store grocery outlet in Livonia, that promoting fire and life safety messages on store bags would serve as an important reminder to our mutual customers. All we had to do was provide the artwork. All other costs were absorbed by Stan’s Markets.
The first piece of artwork we provided was part of the National Fire Protection Association’s Fire Prevention Week kit. We have since provided several other pieces of artwork. The Livonia Public School System has offered to generate more artwork, without charge, so that Stan’s customers could be exposed to a variety of messages.
The local fire department is responsible for educating the community on fire prevention and safety. No one knows the enemy as well. In these busy times, it is difficult to reach the adult population by conventional means. Delivering fire safety messages on grocery bags provides an opportunity to educate our citizens-at little or no cost. Why not take the first step and talk to some of your local grocery store managers about putting safety messages on their grocery bags? Your customers who frequent the stores will be glad you did.
DEMONSTRATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SMOKE DETECTORS
A simple unit that demonstrates the effectiveness of smoke detectors can be a vital part of your fire safety education programs. You can build such a unit very inexpensively and in a short period of time.
- Supplies. Start with two pieces of wood about 8 inches 2 8 inches, a smoke detector, three pieces of eight-inch-wide PlexiglasT approximately 24 inches long, some small screws, an ashtray, matches, and a cigarette. These items may be available at the local hardware store, in your basement workshop, or from coworkers.
- Directions. Mount the smoke detector, facing downward, to the underside of one of the 8- 2 8-inch pieces of wood. This will be the top of the unit. The other piece of wood will constitute the bottom of the unit and will hold the ashtray. Screw the strips of PlexiglasT to the top and bottom pieces of wood, attaching them at the back and on the two sides. (Leave the front open.) Screw or glue the ashtray to the bottom piece of wood for convenience (see illustration above).
- The demonstration. With this unit, you can demonstrate just how little smoke it takes to activate a smoke detector. Light a cigarette, and place it in the ashtray. In just a few seconds, the light smoke conditions will activate the detector.
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The unit also can be used to demonstrate how to maintain the detector-for example, how to dust and test the unit and how to replace the battery.
Among the points we include in our demonstrations for adults are the following:
- Smoke detectors are inexpensive.
- The recommended minimum number of smoke detectors in a home is one per floor, including the basement.
- A smoke detector should be located outside of sleeping areas.
PRINT THOSE FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY MESSAGES
Fire departments can educate citizens about fire and life safety concerns through a variety of print media today. One approach is to provide columns for the local newspapers on a regular basis. You may write the columns or give the editors ideas for the columns, which they will prepare. Be sure to include among the columns educational segments on how to avoid the common mistakes that generate our emergency responses.
A number of opportunities for getting out our message are available also through other print media outlets that may not be as obvious as the local newspapers. As an example, we supply copies of safety articles to both of our local colleges, which usually print them in their campus newspapers. Another mechanism for distributing our messages is the school administration’s home school newsletter. Periodically, we visit the school principals and drop off materials for the newsletters. In addition, the schools’ PTAs sometimes send separate newsletters to parents. In many schools, there is a special mailbox in which to deliver material for the newsletters. We make extra copies of our school announcements and place them in the PTA mailbox, along with one of our business cards.
Preschools also send newsletters to parents. Stop by and visit them. Ask for their help in disseminating your safety messages. We have found that they sometimes also enclose our announcements of an open house and other educational events.
Places of worship in your community usually have room in their publications for short pieces about safety as well.
You don’t have to write full-length feature articles. We have had good results from smaller items. Sometimes, newspapers need just one piece of copy or artwork to fill in small spaces. These items may be clip art public service announcements or similar materials that are available from the U.S. Fire Administration, the National Fire Protection Association, the International Fire Service Training Association, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs, among others. Keep this canned material short and to the point because space may be limited.
Small stickers reminding readers to test their smoke detectors were well received in Livonia. We applied the stickers to calendars before duplicating them, which greatly increased the number of reminders per sticker.
Keep an eye out for other potential vehicles for getting out your safety messages. Banks, credit unions, real estate offices, utilities, your local Chamber of Commerce, service clubs, veterans’ associations, larger businesses, hospitals, nursing homes, and subdivision associations are all good contacts. Many of them publish newsletters for distribution to community members. You will find that many community members and organizations will be happy to help you promote fire and life safety.
THOMAS E. KIURSKI is a firefighter and the director of fire safety education for Livonia (MI) Fire & Rescue. His forthcoming book Creating a Fire-Safe Community: A Guide for Fire Safety Educators (Fire Engineering) is a guide for bringing the safety message to all segments of the community efficiently and economically.
