Photo Gallery | Four Elementary Students Win First Annual Fire Prevention Poster Contest

The Columbia Fire Department along with Shealy’s Bar-B-Que, SimplexGrinnell, Little Caesars Pizza, SC Fire Sprinkler Association, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and CBS Signs  the 16th Annual Fire Prevention Parade yesterday on Main Street despite the wet weather conditions to kick-off the 2012 Fire Prevention Week and its message, “Have Two Ways Out!” which focuses on the importance of fire escape planning and practice.

The parade had over 75 participants from across the state and as far as Simpsonville, Tega Cay, Orangeburg and Charleston; as well as locally with apparatus from Richland County, SC Fire Academy, USC Fire & Safety, Irmo, Ft. Jackson, McEntire Air National Guard, SC Arm National Guard, West Columbia, Cayce, Lugoff, Batesburg-Leesville, and Lexington Fire Departments.  Additionally, our government and private sector partners; City of Columbia, SimplexGrinnell, SC Fire Sprinkler Association, Rekindle Society, DAK Americas/Eastman, Michelin, Carolina Fire & Safety, Charleston Firefighter Support, and Columbia Fire & Safety.

As the parade traveled down Main Street several fire trucks carried winners of the first annual Columbia Fire Department Fire Prevention Week Poster Contest.  The winners competed against over 200 hundred other local fourth and fifth graders as they portrayed in a drawing the fire prevention message, “Have Two Ways Out!”  The winners were recognized by Chief Jenkins during a luncheon and were presented with a plaque in recognition:

·         Hannah Bewley  from Oak Pointe Elementary School

·         Dalena Dunn from St. Peter’s Catholic School

·         Prince Tucker from Arden Elementary School

·         Merideth Barbee from Oak Pointe Elementary School

The winner’s artwork has been placed in the Columbia Fire Department’s Museum to be displayed for a year.  The winners and their homeroom class will receive a pizza party at their school sponsored by Little Caesars Pizza. 

Chief Jenkins recommends the following tips for planning your family’s escape:

·         Make a map of your home. Mark a door and a window that can be used to get out of every room.

·         Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home. This is where everyone can meet once they’ve escaped. Draw a picture of your outside meeting place on your escape plan.

·         Have a grown-up sound the smoke alarm and practice your escape plan with everyone living in your home.

·         Keep your escape plan on the refrigerator and remind grown-ups to have your family practice the plan twice a year or whenever anyone in your home celebrates a birthday.

Through educational programs and demonstrations, residents of the City of Columbia and Richland County can learn more about the importance of fire escape planning and practice, as well as the power of prevention.  To find out more about scheduling a fire education presentations during Fire Prevention Week please contact the Columbia Fire Department at 803-575-3700. To learn more about “Have Two Ways Out!” visit NFPA’s Web site at www.firepreventionweek.org.