Through the efforts of the Douglas Fire Department it has been fortunate enough to have been awarded a $2,500 grant to fund the Town's first fire safety program entitled S.A.F.E. (Student Awareness Fire Education) in the Elementary School System. The purpose of this program is to educate children and their families about the importance of fire prevention and burn safety.

The acquisition of this grant has given Firefighter/EMTs the opportunity to visit the third grade classrooms on a monthly basis to speak with them and share information about fire prevention and burn safety topics. During these visits new information is introduced to the students through coloring handouts, craft projects, and group activities. The information shared is information that could save a life. Children are encouraged to take all that they learn home to share with their families so that all may benefit.

As a department that serves the people of Douglas we believe wholeheartedly that programs like this can make a difference in people's lives. We remain committed to giving our all to see that this program is here for years to come.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kent F. Vinson, SAFE Coordinator -  Douglas Fire Department

The Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) Program is a state initiative to provide resources to local fire departments to conduct fire and life safety education programs in grades K-12. The mission is to enable students to recognize the dangers of fire and more specifically the fire hazards tobacco products pose.

Key Fire Safety Behaviors

There are 23 Key Fire Safety Behaviors that should be taught in age and developmentally appropriate ways, such as:

• Stop, Drop, and Roll
• Making and Practicing Home Escape Plans
• Reporting Fires and Emergencies
• Crawl Low Under Smoke
• Smoke Detector Maintenance
• Kitchen Safety
• Holiday Safety and more

Fire and life safety is easily combined with math, science, language arts, health, and physical education lessons. Integration into the existing curriculum topics is essential.

Benefits

• Training children reduces anxiety levels so they are able to react to stressful situations
• Fire, School, Health and Police Departments working together to help children survive
• Family medical and health care cost reductions
• Firefighter as a role model
• Fires, burns and deaths reduced.

Proven Success

In the past seven years, more than 150 children who participated in the S.A.F.E. Program have saved themselves or a loved one, and were honored as Young Heroes by the Department of Fire Services. Some success stories are:

• A 12-year old boy blocks smoke by closing the door and covering cracks with a blanket to save four younger siblings.
• A girl leads her brother to safety by crawling low under smoke in the house to outdoors.
• A boy calls rescuers on 9-1-1 to save his sister from choking.
• Smoke detector awakens 7-year old who rouses the family and instructs them to "get out."
• Family who rehearsed home escape plan as a homework assignment use it to get out alive.

How Was S.A.F.E. Originally Funded?

• The careless use and disposal of smoking materials is the single leading cause of fire deaths in the state and in the country.
• Due to the tremendous risk of injury and death in fires started by tobacco products, the Legislature appropriated funding from monies raised through the cigarette sales tax for Fiscal Years 1996 to 2002.
• Voters approved this tax to fund programs aimed at combating tobacco use.