October 14, 1999

Students learn lessons in fire safety

       Students at North Grove, Maple Grove, Center Grove and Sugar Grove elementary schools got a lesson in fire safety last week as the White River Fire Department took its message directly to the kids. In honor of Fire Prevention Week, firemen from throughout the northern half of White River Township visited each of the schools to share their firefighting experiences and plant fire prevention habits into the students’ minds. The focus for this year is “The Great Escape” a slogan designed to impress the importance of maintaining fire alarms, establishing home escape routes and conducting fire drills. Using the National Fire Protection Associations cartoon mascot Sparky the Fire Dog and Arthur, from Nickelodeon cable network, Lt. David Sherfick hopes the kids will press their parents to uphold proper fire safety habits.  “The kids are listening really well and asking good questions,” Sherfick said. “Hopefully they’ll hear what we say in here and it will stick.”  The techniques aren’t subliminal or subtle, but that’s not the intent. Demonstrating how a smoke detector works, firefighter Mike Combs told a group of Sugar Grove second-graders if they don’t hear it beep, “I want you to go home and tell Mom and Dad to buy a battery.”  Sugar Grove second-grade teacher Susan McGrath can tell when her students are interested and when they’re not. “The kids are just so enthusiastic. This is their chance to actually talk to a fireman,” McGrath said. “They’re creating a really nice rapport with the kids. The kids realize that (a fireman) is someone they can trust.”  Fire Marshal Eric Brown thinks the effort in the schools must filter into homes if fire prevention is to improve in Johnson County.  “Most people underestimate fire’s power and speed. In the best case, you have just one or two minutes to escape a typical home fire safely,” Brown said. “Home fire escape planning and practice are critical to life safety because they ensure that everyone knows how to use those minutes wisely and escape unharmed.” Free fire protection information is available through the White River Fire Department by calling 888-8337.  Shown in the photos below are Firefighters Bryan Arkins and Steve Coover demonstrating some of the equipment firefighters carry onboard their apparatus.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

  
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