Members of the Chicago Heights Fire Department recently visited the schools of Chicago Heights School District 170 to discuss the importance of fire prevention techniques and planning and to demonstrate fire safety procedures.
The CHFD visited the schools as part of National Fire Prevention Week, a nearly century-old tradition that began in 1925 via Presidential proclamation.
The photos accompanying this article show the firefighters meeting with the students and staff of Washington-McKinley School.
CHFD officers who visited Washington-McKinley School were Lieutenant Eric Einert and Engineer Mark Perez of Engine Co. 655 and Firefighters Kevin Wagner and Ryan Ludwig of Ambulance Co. 685.
“We were delighted to host the members of the Chicago Heights Fire Department and were thrilled with the Fire Prevention Week presentations that they made to our students and staff,” said Washington-McKinley Principal Dr. Gretchen Sutherland.
“The information that they shared including the importance of vigilance in keeping your home safe and various techniques and procedures to follow when and if you are caught in a fire was well received by all of the students in attendance.”
CHFD Chief Jeffery Springer also spoke to the importance of the Fire Prevention Week activities.
“Fire Prevention Week is a significant week for departments all across the country because it affords firefighters the opportunity to meet the public in various settings to discuss fire prevention measures and safety techniques,” Springer said.
“We cannot stress enough the importance of keeping your home, school, or office safe," he said.
"Doing things like developing escape plans, establishing a routine schedule of evacuation drills, regularly changing batteries in smoke detectors and alarms, keeping working fire extinguishers at hand, and reinforcing fire safety strategies with families, students, and employees,” Springer added.
Fire Prevention Week traditionally is held during the second week of October following the first Presidential proclamation of the event issued by President Calvin Coolidge in 1925.