In honor of Fire Prevention Week, students at Aspire Charter Academy put their fire safety skills and knowledge to the test during a visit from firefighters from the Gary Fire Department (GFD).
Fire Prevention Week took place Oct. 6-12 and has been observed since 1925. This week is a time for children, adults, and teachers to learn how to stay safe in case of a fire. Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage.
“Safety is a number one priority for our students and families,” said Diane Hobbs, student/family liaison at Aspire Charter Academy. “We teach our students safety throughout the year during our monthly drills and our community partners.”
Firefighters from GFD did a presentation and taught students that fire is fast, fire is hot, and fire is deadly. A portion of the visit included the opportunity to enter a smokehouse that simulated the effects of a real fire.
Students practiced the stop, drop, and roll best practice for fire safety, while being guided by firefighters. They learned to stay low, look for light, and take short breaths while going through the smokehouse.
“One student remarked that ‘keeping a level head and following what I learned can save my life,’ and another student said that ‘homes should have a smoke detector in every room and your family should have a meeting place,’” said Hobbs.
The biggest takeaway students had was to call 911 if they ever see a flame.
About Aspire Charter Academy:
Aspire Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Gary, Indiana, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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