Raising awareness of the potential danger of cellphones is among the priorities for the fire department during Fire Prevention Week.
Chief Justin Lee said the department is focusing on lithium-ion batteries with its educational strategies this year. Fire Prevention Week begins with an open house from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 4, at the station and will last from Oct. 5-11.
“I think it’s important to just show some safety tips, so kids don’t charge with their phone underneath the pillow at night in case something happens,” Lee said. “Or if you have a bad cord, you know, throw it away and get another cord from the manufacturer.”
Other tips include buying only listed products with safety stamps and recycling batteries responsibly, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. Battery drop-off locations can be found online.
Lithium-ion batteries are in cellphones, laptops, headphones, smart watches, electric bikes, electric vehicles and power tools.
“We have all sorts of devices with lithium-ion batteries in them,” Lee said. “The well-made ones, you know, the name brand ones are very safe for consumer use.”
Lee said it’s important for the community to refocus on fire safety once a year, especially as house fires decrease but fatalities increase.
“I think it’s just important that we kind of have a good week that we get out in the community and remind them that, you know, fire safety is important and not to take it for granted,” Lee said.
Firefighter Drake Patty also said Fire Prevention Week provides good outreach.
“Especially kids, like their phones and iPads and other technology, that all has lithium-ion batteries in it,” Patty said. “So it just really pertains to them.”
The fire department also enlisted the help of elementary students to make posters related to this year’s theme. Lee and other city employees picked the winners.
Art teacher Katie Eckelberry said the kids enjoyed the project. Before the students started, she gave them a fire safety talk. She said they didn’t know a lot of the tips.
“The kids were actually really into the fire safety talk, which isn’t something I normally would do,” Eckelberry said.
The kids had one week to make their posters. Eckelberry said she had them approach it like they worked at an advertising agency.
“I think it was really fun for kids,” Eckelberry said. “I got the little feeling that they [felt] adult, grown up and this is their job. They all took it very seriously.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Eckelberry called the winners to her room and told them they won. She said students were excited and can’t wait to get their trophies. On Tuesday, they got a certificate.
Eckelberry’s daughter Molly placed in the kindergarten competition, and she said the judges didn’t know it was her daughter. Eckelberry said Molly drew a person in a bed that was on fire from their charging cord. Molly also included a mother standing and crying.
Eckelberry said they will do the same project again next year, which students are already excited about. She also said students are excited to get their posters back after the open house.
The winners in each grade are:
Kindergarten
Molly Eckelberry
Elodie Unruh
Charlotte Westerhouse
First grade
Scarlet Lauer
Harper Blake
Simon Pratt
Second grade
Heidi Stratton
Penelope Grado
Carter Barone
Third grade
Charlee Shahan
Mellanie Smith
Lila Havelka
Fourth grade
Laila White
Ruby Thakker
Emmalee Alley
Fifth grade
Penny Peavey
Mack Chrislip
Harper Warmker
