Whether it was Cosmo the Alien, Ozgood the Owl or their human counterparts — Firefighter Steve or Mr. Tristan — first-, second- and third-grade students at Arbor Elementary School in Euclid took valuable fire safety lessons to heart as part of Creative Safety Products’ 2017-2018 Firefighter Phil Child Safety Programs.
Arbor Elementary, at 20400 Arbor Ave., is one of several schools in Euclid where the program will visit this week. This is 20th year Creative Safety Products has presented programs in the city.
The programs aim to teach children how to stay safe with a live 30-minute presentation through a variety of entertaining and informative demonstrations and hands-on activities, such as magic tricks, games, ventriloquism.
The assembly seminar also distributes grade-related instructional activity workbooks students can take home to complete with their parents or guardians to reinforce lessons presented in the program.
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Creative Safety Products was founded in 1975 with the idea of bringing child safety lessons to elementary schools, according to its website, and has taught millions of children how to stay safe, be smart and become better citizens.
The Officer Phil and Deputy Phil Programs, along with the Firefighter Phil Safety Program, comprise the company, which also teaches children about stranger danger, the negative effects of bullying, internet safety and respect for authority figures.
Firefighter Phil’s theme this year is “Always Be Prepared: Fire Hazards, Fire Prevention, and Fire Escape Plan.”
Tristan Hostetter, aka “Mr. Tristan,” discussed three different elements of fire safety with the Arbor students — fire hazards, fire prevention and the fire escape plan.
“We never want to play with matches, do we?” he asked, quickly answered with a chorus of “Nooos!”
“We also never want to play with lighters,” he said. “We also want to make sure whenever we have candles lit in the house to blow them out before we go to sleep, because if we leave it lit all night, it can cause a fire.
“Electrical cords can also cause a fire, so we want to make sure we know how to use them accordingly. We also want to make sure we’re putting nothing in the outlet but the plugs because that, too, can be unsafe.”
Mr. Tristan also drove home the importance of kitchen safety.
“We want to make sure we don’t distract parents while they’re cooking,” he said. “And never try to use the stove or oven without a parent’s permission; doesn’t that sound right, boys and girls?”
“Yeeees!” the students yelled in agreement.
“Also, it’s important to remember not to leave anything near the oven or stove that doesn’t belong there, like our notebooks and papers. We can make all these fire hazards disappear if we stay safe.”
While Mr. Tristan introduced Ozgood and Cosmo to help deliver the safety lessons, Euclid firefighter Steve Fleck, aka “Firefighter Steve,” stood attentive, assisting the performance.
A primary objective of the Firefighter Phil Program is to help the Euclid Fire Department establish positive relationships with the youth in the community, and for them to find firefighters friendly and approachable so they can learn additional safety tips. Fleck, a veteran of 26 1/2 years with the Euclid Fire Department, has participated in the program for four consecutive years.
“It’s probably the best program they’ve come up with,” he said. “It’s great, fun and educational. They change it every five years and it really engages the community. The instructional workbooks accept sponsors to help with the revenue, which allows this program to continue progressing. We thank all of those business partners.”
Mr. Tristan, after introducing Ozgood, with whom he exchanged humorous barbs and jokes, then discussed fire prevention, stressing the importance of working smoke detectors, the frequency of checking them — once a month, changing the batteries twice a year — and keeping a fire extinguisher in the home.
“Emergency kits are also important,” he said. “And in case of a fire, we want to stay calm, stay low, and go. Smoke rises, so we want to stay close to the ground so we don’t breathe in bad air. Every second counts, so plan two ways out. And what number do we call in case of an emergency?”
“911!”
“That’s right,” Mr. Tristan said, “and use the back of your hand, too, on the back of doors to feel for fire. If it’s too hot, that means fire is on the other side. Take your blankets and your pillows and your clothes and put them underneath the door and on the side, so no smoke gets into your room.
“Family meeting places and placing identifying markers, like a piece of clothing out of a slowly-opened window, can alert firefighters to your presence. All these steps can make sure we can safely leave the house.”
As the students filed out of the gymnasium at the program’s conclusion, Principal LaWanda Johnson described the program as “awesome,” a reason she said the school keeps bringing it back every year.
“The kids learn so much, they really enjoy it. This is the third year we’ve had the program at Arbor. Fire prevention and fire safety is really important for them to see and understand. We have to teach them while there young.”
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