Comprehensive: Fire Prevention Week 2000
HEATHER CASEY
Firehouse.Com News
Courtesy Greenwich Fire Department
Chief Kevin Shephard teaches fire prevention to a class of students during fire prevention week 1999.
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The retired school bus with a living room, kitchen and bedroom, was filled with artificial smoke and the children had to find their way out. This is just one of the fire prevention activities that garnered the Greenwich Fire Department in New York an annual state public education award.
The 35 active members of the department have worked together to make their fire prevention program one of the best in the state by putting in over 800 man hours each year and increasing community involvement.
Many of the volunteer firefighters use their yearly vacation time to go into the schools during fire prevention week, giving 45-minute presentations to each class and doing a variety of additional activities.
"I think that's what makes it work," said Fire Chief Kevin Shephard. "They're committed to putting in the time and putting fire prevention as a priority. The members all help out - we work as a team."
The department was recognized this year with the annual Public Education Award of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, naming them the overall outstanding program in fire prevention and education.
"The unique thing here is we're able to put on a quality program with such a small budget," Shephard said. The department spends about $500 each year on fire prevention.
The "Get out alive" program, run by Fire Prevention Coordinator James J. Alheim, is most famous in the community for its Fire Safety Bus, which the department drives around to schools and community centers to demonstrate safety precautions and escape plans.
The retired school bus was donated by the Greenwich School District and converted into a living room, kitchen and bedroom, that each illustrate about 20 fire safety points. The bus has an extension on the rear, as well as walls, doors, a smoke machine and a phone system to simulate dialing 911.
Courtesy Greenwich Fire Department
A firefighter assists a student down a ladder during a live, surprise school fire drill complete with artificial smoke.
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The students point out what is unsafe in each room, such as items too close to the fireplace, and how to fix the problem.
"It works because it gets the students involved and gets them thinking," Shephard said.
When the bedroom fills with artificial smoke, the kids have to practice getting out while faced with realistic effects such as blocked exits and noisy smoke alarms. When they find the bedroom door hot to the touch, (because of heating pads), the kids have to escape through the back window.
The safety bus was created at no cost to the fire department, Shephard said. Firefighters solicited sponsors from local businesses and utilized prison workers for the majority of the labor. The total cost was $4,200.
Wally Becker, education coordinator for the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, said Greenwich stood out from other departments for the public education award because their success is based on community involvement.
"It's rare because this is really the only department that went to this extent on a shoe string budget to create this safety trailer," Becker said. While some larger departments can just buy a safety trailer, "They had a vision, and they went with it even though they're not a big name or big money department," he said.
Courtesy Greenwich Fire Department
Firefighters and students pose next to the retired school bus turned safety house.
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The Greenwich department, which does fire prevention programs all year, targets all school levels and ages, does outreach programs and demonstrations at community centers, and holds an open house for the public to come and see displays on fire prevention. They also do drills and training at a senior citizens complex and do displays at a yearly summer festival.
"Our program touches all the bases in the community," Shephard said.
Another reason Greenwich won its award was because of a fire drill held during fire prevention week last year, Becker said.
Greenwich officials organized a live, surprise school fire drill complete with artificial smoke, blocked exits and five hidden "victims." Only the superintendent and board knew in advance. Firefighters knew it was a drill, but didn't know what to expect and had to locate the five students in the smoke-filled school.
"It was a tremendous drill for the firefighters," Shephard said.
Courtesy Greenwich Fire Department
The retired school bus turned safety house in front of the Greenwich Fire House.
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This year the department will run a similar fire prevention program, but will change the flavor a bit so they aren't too repetitive, Shephard said.
One part of the program that stays the same each year is the school assembly at the end of the week that honors the Unsung Hero, a student in the community who has preformed a heroic action during a fire or potentially fire hazardous situation
Shephard said the efforts of the Greenwich firefighters are being rewarded by increased safety in the community.
"We statistically have proven the percentage of fires in our community are down and we attribute that to the success of our program," he said.
The rural community department, with 35 members, serves a population of 6,500.
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