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PRESS
From
the Lafayette, Indiana
Journal and
Courier
Fire program shows what not to do
By Erin Smith
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Mike and Mini Match
admitted to doing some "bad stuff" last year during the
Fire Prevention Show at Jefferson High School. On
Friday, they promised to do better.
But that didn't stop the
pair from demonstrating the wrong thing to do if one's
clothes catch on fire. The actors ran all over Earhart
Elementary's gym, waving their hands in the air.
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Photo By Michael
Heinz/Journal and Courier |
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"If
your clothes catch on fire, you never want to run," Lafayette
fire inspector Randy Keen told the kindergartners and first- and
second-grade students. "If your clothes catch on fire, what are
you supposed to do, boys and girls?"
"Stop,
drop and roll," the students shouted.
That
answer illustrates the impact the fire safety show and
Lafayette's Safe and Sound Squad band, formerly known as the
Fire House Band, have had on students, assistant chief Ron
Ritchey said.
On
Friday, he and other members of the Lafayette Fire Department
visited Earhart, Miller and Vinton elementary schools to deliver
to teachers the band's newest CD, "There's Safety in Numbers."
The
special presentation included several songs from the new album,
a visit from Sparky the Fire Dog and a preview of the upcoming
Fire Prevention Show, which begins Oct. 10.
Earhart students sang along to fire safety songs and giggled as
Sparky swiveled his hips in time to the music. Second-grader
Tristen Allen, 7, remembers last year's fire safety show well.
"It
was fun," he said, nodding when asked if the songs played Friday
were familiar to him.
With
help from a grant obtained by the Historic Five Points
Educational Center, the firefighters gave a free music CD to
each Tippecanoe County public school kindergarten through second
grade teacher. Songs include "Two Ways Out," "Smoke Detector
Song" and "911."
"It's
just great that these kids know they can call and get help that
way," said Rich Groeber, with the fire museum. "I know these
fellows would rather go out to a call and not find anything than
be a half hour late."
Researchers from Purdue University plan to administer a test to
students before and after the show to determine their knowledge
of fire safety. Ritchey hopes the tests will point out areas of
weakness so the firefighters can improve their safety program.
"We
know it's effective. ... We haven't had a child fatality (in a
fire) in recent memory," he said. "We don't want to bring that
into our community."
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