The Albany Fire Department has initiated a continuing Fire Safety Program which provides children with educator-approved materials and services made available by the National Safety Council, a 501 (c) (3), tax-exempt, non-profit organization dedicated to the safety of children.

The fire department has been working with children pre-K through the 5th grade in all the local schools and daycares sine 2000. Because of this, the National Safety Council is awarding the department a 15-year plaque for their faithful service to the children and parents of Albany.

This comprehensive program was created and designed to provide materials geared to the age levels of children; there are manuals and handouts for every age group plus teaching tools, such as manuals, puppets, costumes, badges, CDs, videos, handouts on fire safety, novelties, etc. to help the firemen and teachers get across the most important parts of the program and contains about 24 activity pages that have been designed by educators to stimulate a child’s awareness and thinking about the everyday fire hazards he or she encounters.

All of the materials are made available to encourage the prevention of destructive fires, painful burns, disfiguring injuries, and needless deaths and are covered in the schools by the firemen and teachers. After the program has concluded, the children are encouraged to take the manuals home so that parents can also learn and see who helped make the program possible.

Fire Department Chief Robert Roeper pointed out that this special fire safety educational program, sponsored by the Albany Fire Department, is financially supported by local citizens and business leaders whose foresight and wisdom enable them to recognize the need for early training in fire prevention.

These sponsors are recognized by listing them on the backs of all pre-K-5 manuals each year. Jim Griffith, the representative of the National Fire Safety Council and coordinator of the program, noted that “The motto of the National Safety Council is ‘The best way to fight a fire is to prevent it!’ We have discovered that the best way to create a safer environment in our communities is to educate the children and make them aware of fire safety; when they recognize the importance of it, they will make an effort to inform their parents. In this way, the whole community becomes a safer place to live, insurance costs remain low and destructive fires, injuries, and deaths are prevented. The National Fire Safety Council is proud of Albany and its progressive people for promoting fire safety in this way. Thank you.”

“It is only through the continued and united efforts of teachers, parents, children, and concerned citizens that fires can be prevented,” Chief Roeper said. “We are hoping that many will, once again, respond to our request of the Albany Fire Department this year and help us to reach the 1,075 children in our community with fire safety materials.” Griffith commented and explained that letters go out from the Albany Police Department asking for donations in August and September each year.

Albany Fire Chief Robert Roeper accepted a plaque for the Albany Fire Department for its 15 years of service to the National Fire Safety Council’s Fire Up Program. National Fire Safety Council and coordinator Jim Griffith presented the award to Roeper.