blivingston@themeridianstar.com
Meridian Fire Department Fire Safety Education Chief Jimmy Hoffer didn't take long to point out the overall importance of providing fire safety education to the young.
"Mississippi still leads the nation in fire deaths," said Hoffer, as he stood outside West Hills Elementary School in Meridian. "That is a title we don't want and we are doing everything we can to change that around."
Today marks the last day of National Fire Prevention Week in America. From the big cities to the small rural towns across the nation, fire departments have been going into schools to teach elementary school students valuable and life saving lessons that may save their lives in the event their home catches fire. Two fourth graders at West Hills, Silas Clymer, 9, and Queston Grannis, 10, knew well the rules of life.
"Make sure you have an escape plan and a place to meet other people in your family outside the house," said Clymer, who admitted to being a little intimidated inside the smoke trailer used by the MFD to demonstrate escape procedure. "I remember last year the firemen came by and they told us about smoke alarms and things."
"Smoke alarms need to have the batteries checked," Grannis said. "I'm going home to tell my mom that. We have smoke alarms but I don't know how old the batteries are."
All of these statements from the students makes any firefighter smile.
"We set aside this time of year to hit all the city schools to make sure these kids at least know those things that will save their lives," said Hoffer. "Some of these kids have gone through our fire safety programs before but for others this is the first time."
No matter how many times the students are exposed to fire safety topics, it can never be enough. Small children and the elderly are the most victimized demographic of fires. It is hoped that through programs such as this that a life will be saved. If it is then it has all been worth it.
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Teaching the young about fire safety
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