Fire Prevention Week (FPW) was October 7 - 13, 2007.  This year's theme, produced by the NFPA was “Practice Your Escape Plan.” This year's campaign highlighted the importance of creating and practicing home escape plans.  In addition to home escape plans, we also concentrated our efforts on the importance of testing and maintaining home smoke detectors, not playing with matches and lighters, stop-drop-and-roll, and the importance of 9-1-1.  This year we used the familiar faces of Jokey the Clown, Nozzles, Aunt E.D.I.T.H., Firefighter Everett, and Firefighter Eric.  

   

    Once again this year, we had a lot of fun visiting the local schools and teaching the children about fire safety in the home.  We presented two different shows this year, one for the children in grades K – 3 and another one for grades 4 – 6.  This year the children in grades K - 3 were taught utilizing a skit while the children in grades 4 - 6 did not see a "skit" this year but were challenged in a fun game of "Fire Safety Family Feud".  This game format allowed the students to show us what they remembered over the past few years.  A lot of fun was had by all of the students and overall, the 4th graders were the champs! Both shows were a success and that format will continue into the future.

   

    A "Home Fire Safety Checklist" was created and handed out all students in grades Kindergarten through six.  They were asked to complete the checklist and return them to their respective teachers for their entry into this year's contest.  In addition to completing the checklist, students in grades four through six were given the task of creating a home escape plan.  Two students from each of the lower grades (K – 3^rd) won a Junior Firefighter T-shirt for their efforts and various gift certificates donated by local businesses.  Two students from each of the upper elementary grades (4^th – 6^th) won various gift certificates donated by local businesses, a Junior Firefighter T-shirt, and came down to the fire station and to become our guest as "Firefighter for a Day".   This year the committee continued with the “Fire Safety Champions” trophy and St. John’s Primary School turned in the highest percentage of checklists out of all of the schools in the district.  We also had a pizza party, compliments of Scotty’s Pizza, for the classroom that turned in 100% of the entries.  The pizza party included the on-duty shift of firefighters eating lunch with the students as well as an educational opportunity for the students.  There were 20 classes that turned in all of their homework assignments and the winner was chosen randomly.  Ms. Lecker’s 2nd grade class at Grant Elementary School took top honors this year.

 

    Fire safety talks were given to approximately 2,500 students and their teachers.  Public fire education activities during the year included tours through the Fire Station, monthly public safety announcements on the local radio station, public service announcements in the Marshfield News-Herald and the Marshfield Buyer’s Guide, apparatus and fire safety displays at Dairyfest, Mad Market Days, Tiny Tiger Event, Wildwood Park and Zoo, the YMCA, Northway Mall and others. 

 

    The department also participated in the 4th Annual “Get Fired Up” event sponsored by various businesses on the North side of the City, on Sunday, October 14, 2007.  The event started off with a parade of fire apparatus from the fairgrounds to the North side of the City.  In all, there were approximately 40 pieces of fire apparatus, represented by 15 area fire departments in the parade.  Events included a “Teddy Bear Parachute Drop” off the aerial truck, fire safety talks to families, and live Christmas tree burn demonstrating the importance of tree care during the holidays.

 

    The Fourteenth Annual Fire Fighters Memorial Service was held at Strohman Park on Wednesday, September 26, 2007.  The service started at the Marshfield Fire and Rescue Department with a silent parade to Strohman Park and concluded with a get together in the Common Council chambers at City Hall.

 

 

    Thank you to all of the department members for your support of the Fire Prevention program.  We would also like to thank the Marshfield Fire and Police Commission, the Common Council and the Mayor for their support of this worthwhile program.  The last thank you goes to the truly dedicated members of this year’s Fire Prevention Committee, consisting of Firefighter's Owen, Patton, Barnes, Winistorfer, Mueller, and Lang.  We also need to extend a special thank-you to Tina Patton who volunteered her time to play Fire Pup for the children we visited.  Without the commitment by these individuals the program would never had been as successful as it was.  We look forward with great anticipation to Fire Prevention Week 2008!           

    We have begun preparations for Fire Prevention Week 2008 and are anxiously waiting for the return of the fire safety cast and crew. We will again be going to all of the elementary schools in the school district of Marshfield and interacting with the students and teachers about important life safety issues.