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Public Education
It comes as a shock to some when they are faced with the realization that among the
industrialized nations of the world, the United States has the greatest fire problem.
There are three distinct means at our disposal to attack our fire problem. The first, and
most obvious, is through the technology of fire suppression. A second means is through the
development of fire codes and laws to insure that society is offered a minimal risk and
maximum protection from fire. The third means for attacking fire is through education. Our
Public Education Officer, through a program of fire safety and awareness, can educate the
public in their role in changing America's fire problem. We accomplish this task by
teaching Learn Not To Burn. Our program is more than a
cognitive education approach, it incorporates psycho-motor skills that really do change
the outcome of a fire incident or completely prevent the fire from becoming an incident.
We start the fire awareness program as early as pre-school with themes like "Stop,
Drop & Roll" and not to fear firefighters, "They Are Your Friend." This
beginning is the foundation of our program building rapport that carries through to
grade six at which time the program comes to a close, leaving our students with a total of
15 lectures or 20 hours of fire awareness education that will carry with them and through
to their children and affect their attitudes about life safety throughout their adult
lives. The program is not a guarantee that fire will not strike you or your family in your
lifetime, but what it does do is provide information, strategies and resources that will
assist an individual with making good decisions for a high degree of safety. This promotes
a positive attitude to make the changes in one's lifestyle to bring fire incidents under
control in America.
Our fire awareness program has in recent years answered a need for safety in the
workplace. The federal government has over time realized the importance of this
specialized training and created federal mandates for employers. Many local businesses and
city departments have tapped into our program as a vital resource to their ever-growing
needs to educate their employees.
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