WOTV 4 Women is proud to team up with several West Michigan fire departments, Kidde, ESCAPE Fire Safety and The Home Depot for Operation Save a Life- a collective commitment to promote fire and carbon monoxide safety.

Throughout the month of March WOTV 4 Women is airing fire safety and carbon monoxide poisoning prevention messages.  If you’re interested in having a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector installed in your home ESCAPE Fire Safety can help connect you with an area fire department. Email [email protected] for more information.

As part of Operation Save a Life, Kidde along with and The Home Depot, will be donating thousands of Kidde-brand smoke detectors and CO alarms to participating Fire Departments for distribution to homes in their communities.  Home Depot will also be hosting Save a Life Saturday Events on March 7th, 2015 .  Their team of experts will be answering all your safety questions and giving  fire prevention tips so you can keep your family safe. See list below for participating Home Depot locations.

Save A Life Saturday Events

KENTWOOD
4646 28TH STREET, SE GRAND RAPIDS MI 49512

WALKER
2727 ALPINE AVE NW WALKER MI 49544

WYOMING
4900 WILSON AVE SW GRANDVILLE MI 49418

ROOSEVELT PARK
2699 HENRY STREET MUSKEGON MI 49441

WYOMING
257 54TH STREET SW WYOMING MI 49548

GRAND HAVEN
900 JACKSON STREET GRAND HAVEN MI 49417

 



Did you know three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms?  More than one-third (37%) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.  The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.

Michigan Civilian Fire Fatalities (from the United States Fire Administration)

  • Currently, Michigan ranks #2 in the country for civilian fire fatalities
  • As of 12/31/2014, West Michigan accounted for 26% of the state’s civilian fire fatalities
  • Fire fatalities are affecting older adults (those over 65 years) and younger children (those under 14) at a faster rate compared to any other age group.
  • Since 2012, Michigan fire fatality numbers have been the worst, not seen since 1999.

Operation Save a Life

Kidde and WOTV 4 Women are proud to partner together on Operation Save A Life — a public service campaign designed to educate consumers and raise awareness about the dangers of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. Since 2002, Kidde has donated more than 1 million smoke alarms to participating fire departments for installation in area homes as part of this program.

In addition, each area specific ABC-affiliate creates safety vignettes that air during the campaign. Our hope is that these educational messages combined with Kidde product donations and informative product displays in retail stores across the country will help save lives.

Kidde donated 2,500 smoke alarms and 500 carbon monoxide alarms for installation by fire departments and other trained professionals in select homes throughout West Michigan.  Each type of alarm contain a 10-year sealed battery for worry-free protection.

You can follow the Operation Save A Life conversation via #OpSaveALife and by liking Kidde’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Learn more: http://www.kidde.com/IntheCommunity/Pages/OperationSaveALife.aspx

Kidde

Kidde is a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and fire extinguishers. It has been delivering advanced fire-safety technology since producing the first integrated smoke detection and carbon dioxide extinguishing system in 1917. Kidde is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.kidde.com/ or follow @KiddeSafety on Twitter (https://twitter.com/KiddeSafety).

For more information on Operation Save A Life or to find out how to get a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector installed into your West Michigan home contact us:

Email:  [email protected]

 



carbon-monoxide-web

More than 150 people in the U.S. die every year from accidental non fire-related carbon monoxide poisoning.

Like fire, carbon monoxide (CO) is just as deadly. It’s called the silent killer because it’s colorless, odorless and invisible. More than 150 people in the United States die every year from accidental non fire-related CO poisoning associated with consumer products, including generators. When you breathe in CO, it makes you feel nauseous, dizzy, head-achy, and tired like you have the flu. It also makes it difficult to think clearly. CO poisons the body by removing oxygen in the blood stream, slowing suffocating you and eventually causing unconsciousness and even death.

Winter snows can create drifts that block exhaust vents, forcing CO to back-up into your home. High efficiency appliances and those with power-vent blowers by definition waste less heat, so the exhaust air temperature is very low. Often it is too low to melt snow or ice in a plugged exhaust pipe or vent. Keep sidewall and direct vents clear of obstructions, drifting snow and bushes to provide proper ventilation.

Where does CO come from?

Heating equipment is the leading cause of CO incidents. It can also come from hot water heaters, gas stoves, gas dryers, barbecue grills, fireplaces, and from cars, lawn mowers, snow blowers or generators running inside the garage – even with the door open. A large number of CO incidents take place between the months of November and February and between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. This is the time when most heating equipment is being used at home.

Facts & figures

  • The dangers of CO exposure depend on a number of variables, including the victim’s health and activity level. Infants, pregnant women, and people with physical conditions that limit their body’s ability to use oxygen (i.e. emphysema, asthma, heart disease) can be more severely affected by lower concentrations of CO than healthy adults would be.
  • A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time.
  • In 2010, S. fire departments responded to an estimated 80,100 non-fire CO incidents in which carbon monoxide was found, or an average of nine such calls per hour. The number of incidents increased 96 percent from 40,900 incidents reported in 2003. This increase is most likely due to the increased use of CO detectors, which alert people to the presence of CO.

What to do if you suspect CO exposure

  • Get out of the house or car and get fresh air.
  • Call the fire department or 911 from a neighbor’s house.
  • If you have symptoms, seek medical help immediately.

For more information on carbon monoxide safety, please visit the National Fire Protection Association or the United States Fire Administration websites.

>>> More from E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety

 




 

Pack up the family and get out of the house on Tuesday, August 5, for the 31st annual National Night Out. The goal of National Night Out is to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts, encourage police and community cooperation, and demonstrate neighborhood unity in fighting crime and deterioration.

On Tuesday night, August 5, residents are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights, and spend the evening outdoors on the porches, lawns, streets, or in parks with their neighbors. Many neighborhoods throughout West Michigan will be hosting a variety of special events.

One big event planned in Kent County Michigan is the South Kent Night Out Against Crime. It will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. at 1515 Eastport Drive SE in Grand Rapids, behind Peppino’s Restaurant. It will be a great time for the whole family with food, a Ronald McDonald magic show, motorcycle stunt team, mascots, the E.S.C.A.P.E. mobile training center, and more. Admission is free!

Jake The Fire Safety Dog, Crusier from Craig’s Cruiser McGruff the Crime Prevention Dog thanks to our friends at EPS Security, and Grandma On The Go, Joy from eightWest and WOOD TV 8 will all be on site to meet guests of the South Kent County National Night Out event.

 



 

Watch the announcement with Maranda, Jake The Fire Safety Dog and Firefighter Michael McLeieer live inside the E.S.C.A.P.E. smoke demonstration trailer at the Park Party yesterday in Battle Creek!

 

 

Trenten Dollaway of Battle Creek is the One Millionth person to go through the E.S.C.A.P.E. smoke demonstration trailer. He and his family won the grand prize to the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, free tickets to the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, free passes to Craig’s Cruisers fun center in Wyoming, Michigan, free haircuts courtesy of Coachlite Cutters Barber Shop in Portage, a free Meijer gas card thanks to our friends at Liberty Mutual Insurance, and gift card from EPS Security.  Free E.S.C.A.P.E. T-shirts and baseball caps were also very popular for Trenten and his family!

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The E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety Program will recognize its one millionth child to learn about fire safety inside the Mobile Training Center in Battle Creek.

The E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety Program recognized its one millionth child to learn about fire safety inside the Mobile Training Center in Battle Creek on July 31st.



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2012 Winner: Michael McLeieer
The Firemark Award for Community Service and Public Education
Merrimac Fire Department
Merrimac, MA – Announced May 22, 2014

Since becoming a member of the Merrimac Fire Department in 2000, Michael McLeieer has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to public education in his community and nationally. More than two decades ago, he founded the non-profit charitable organization E.S.C.A.P.E. (Education Showing Children and Adults Procedures for Evacuations), whose mission is to teach children and adults about fire prevention, CPR and first aid. In 2006, he was selected by the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy to train the nation’s fire service on developing effective public education campaigns about fire safety. Students who participated in McLeieer’s fire safety education program achieved a 98 percent success rate when tested on how to respond correctly to a fire. The importance of his course really rang true when a 4-year-old led his parents from their smoke-filled home the night after the child had participated in McLeieer’s class.

McLeieer has played a role in education on a state and national level. He is currently the Training and Scheduling Coordinator for the Massachusetts’s Firefighting Academy and is in charge of the Juvenile Fire Intervention program. Last year, the U.S. Fire Administration engaged McLeieer in a national public education webinar to share best practices for fire departments. He was one of 13 to present at the National Models on Fire Prevention symposium and was selected to present on Models of Fire Prevention Effective Community Risk Reduction before 30,000 firefighters at the Fire Department Instructors Conference and at the National Fire Protection Association International Conference. He also has worked to build a youth education program in 47 communities called No FIRES.

Merrimac Fire Chief Ralph W. Spencer could not be more proud of McLeieer’s accomplishments. He says the Merrimac Fire Department will allocate the funds toward enhancing public education, youth fire intervention and fire fighter safety initiatives. McLeieer is happy to hear he is being recognized for his actions.

“A big thanks to my fellow firefighters and to Liberty Mutual Insurance for this award,” said McLeieer. “I hope my story will inspire others to focus on the importance of fire safety education. I look forward to seeing how Merrimac will use the grant money to further my education initiatives.”



2008 Summer Events - MI 029

A Visit with Fire and Life Safety Educator, Michael McLeieer from the Merrimac (MA) Fire Department

One of the ways that I enjoy expanding my knowledge is to visit with other educators from across the country and learn about their fire safety programming.

In the fire safety education arena, there is always room to expand our knowledge, which in turn, can help keep our programming from getting “stale.” This knowledge provides ways in which we can reach more of our target audience with the fire safety message, and as a result, help keep those in our community safe.

Fifteen year veteran Firefighter Michael McLeieer, Fire and Life Safety Educator from the Merrimac (MA) Fire Department, feels the same way, as do many of the educators out in the field. Michael professes, “I’m still learning as to what works and improving upon what doesn’t work.”

I met Michael at the National Fire Academy a couple of years while taking a Juvenile Intervention Specialist course, and was fascinated with his innovation in fire safety education. I recently visited with Michael, and below, you will find his story.

Michael, tell us about yourself and how you got started in fire safety education. 

This is my 15th anniversary in the fire service. I was approached by a friend of mine, who was a firefighter; 15 years ago about how many children needlessly die in house fires. He explained to me that children often hide from the smoke and fire when they are scared and don’t know what to do.  When I went with this Fire Lieutenant to school presentations, I was amazed when he asked the students “What do you do when your house catches fire?” they would respond with “Stop, Drop and Roll”. Children we encountered were not “getting” the real fire safety message.

It was at that time that we started a non-profit charity called E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc. (Education Showing Children and Adults Procedures for Evacuations) and built a 27-foot fire safety trailer to use as an interactive educational tool and to mentor and assist fire departments across Michigan in delivering fire and life safety education. I started in the fire service in Michigan in 1995 and in 2000, accepted my current position of Director of Public Education for the Merrimac (MA) Fire Dept. To date E.S.C.A.P.E. has educated over 500,000 children and adults in fire safety and have had 32 documented educational “saves”. In my roll as Public Education Officer for Merrimac Fire, we have had four documented “Young Heroes” from 2004 – 2007.

Have there been educators that you have looked up to throughout your career?

I have had fire department training officers or fire academy instructors who I have looked up to as mentors to me.

How did they influence you?

They reminded me to always excel and strive for excellence. They encouraged me to be flexible, yet consistent in the educational approach.

Please share with us what resources you utilize in your programming and why you find these resources useful.

A combination of N.F.P.A., The Idea Bank, Sydistar, Disney Productions, and ideas obtained from various training conferences over the past 15 years. I’m still learning as to what works and improving upon what doesn’t work.

What has been the most challenging aspect of being a fire safety educator?

Funding, or the lack of consistent funding. With the ups and downs of the economy, we must continue to reach out to our community and other funding partners to meet our goals and objectives of providing quality fire and life safety educational programs.

You have a successful program with your canine, Jake. Please tell us more about the project.

Jake the fire dog, a black Labrador retriever service canine, is the first service canine to be used exclusively to teach children about fire and life safety. As an English version of the black lab, Jake is more refined and low-key with children than some other breeds. He has his own photo identification, is licensed as a working service animal, and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ADA as a working service canine, with his sole purpose being public education, since dogs could be used as agents of terrorism.

In April 2007, Scott D. Maker and I became handlers of Jake and added him to our non-profit public charity, E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc. (Education Showing Children and Adults Procedures for Evacuations).

As Jake’s primary handler and trainer, Scott spends two hours each day teaching Jake how to act out messages such as “crawl low under smoke”, “get out and stay out”, and “stop, drop and roll.”  Jake  teaches children about fire and life safety in both the Great Lakes and New England regions including Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Our goal of teaching children in these regions is to be proactive rather than reactive. We work with area fire departments and go into schools and daycare centers, utilizing our own customized age appropriate lesson plans, to teach and reinforce these positive messages. Jake is just one way to teach those messages, but his presence has helped the educational community to welcome the program with open arms.

In the winter months, the lessons include ice and cold water safety, such as never venturing onto thin ice. In the spring, students learn about topics like bicycle helmet safety and stranger danger. Jake is also used to teach children never to go up to a strange animal without adult supervision.

Jake has learned to demonstrate making the “right choice”, such as not hiding under a bed if there is fire or smoke conditions (applicable for younger children) and not using tobacco products that could result in fires (for older children).

Jake will be able to work as a service dog until he is 10 to 12 years old, when typical hip and joint problems will likely interfere with his demonstrations.

We will continue to utilize Jake in assisting to deliver our fire and life safety and juvenile firesetter intervention programs, including reaching out to audiences with disabilities, such as autism and hearing impairments. Jake has even learned sign language commands so he is able to reach out to more target groups.

In addition, Jake demonstrates the following messages:
  • Fall and crawl under smoke
  • Get out and stay out
  • Whisper (inside voice vs. outside voice)
  • How to be a helper
  • How to stretch before exercising
  • Know two ways out
  • Stop, drop and roll
  • What is a tool and what is a toy
  • Waive to his audiences on command
  • Sit, speak, whisper, and stay – following sign language commands
What tips or resources can you provide for fire and life safety educators that have limited or no budgets? 

Start building rapport within your community. Visit the service clubs (i.e. Rotary, Moose, Elks, Mason, etc.) and partner with your local banker, local big box stores, anyone and everyone where you can convince them that their investment is necessary to keeping the community safe. Apply for grants. There are a lot of them out there, but anything worth while takes WORK. Don’t be afraid to work to spread the word about your department’s financial needs. Utilize the media to help get the word out to the community.

If you could share one tip with a fire safety educator just getting their feet wet in fire safety education, what would it be? 

Partner with another seasoned Fire and Life Safety Educator. Learn from peers to avoid making the same mistakes many of us did when we first started out. Make sure the subject matter is familiar to the educator (don’t shoot from the hip) and reach out to School Educators or take an early childhood development class…go where the teachers go to learn…a community college.

Rescue 1 Fire Safety for Kids. Jeff Steere is the President and a career firefighter with the City of Grand Rapids Michigan Fire Department. Jeff and I have become friends and have teamed up together with our two non-profit charities to reach out to more communities and mentor more fire departments within Michigan and across the country.  In fact, our two charities where just recently nominated for the second year in a row as a semi-finalist for the 2010 Connecting with Community Award in Michigan.  The award ceremony will be held on May 13th 2010 at the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids Michigan. 
Where do you see fire safety education in ten years?
It will remain a high priority for the U.S. Fire Administration and should be a key focus for the fire service. Education and enforcement of fire and building codes will continue to save lives. The fire service is being asked to do more, with less and less funding, and staffing, and quality fire and life safety education will be the best way for the fire service to continue to be proactive, vs. reactive; preventing fires before they start through education.


Any last thoughts?

New or seasoned fire service professionals need to remain committed to their passion and this should include education. It’s not somebody else’s job. It’s every firefighter’s job to educate and re-educate the public! Especially during tough fiscal times, administration may or will cut or eliminate fire and life safety education, but by keeping good records and proving what we are doing is working (i.e. a reduction in fires, reduction in property loss, reduction in loss of life, etc.), we will be able to argue our case and justify our needs and existence to the elected officials. I never thought I would become adjunct faculty and teaching for the National Fire Academy when I entered the fire service 15 years ago. As Dr. Denis Onieal, NFA Superintendent, told me after I was approached to become an instructor for NFA, “You will change America, here’s your opportunity” and I try to do that with every class I teach and every firefighter I have the pleasure and honor in meeting. We ALL have the ability to rise above the financial crisis and should not become easily discouraged. It’s up to us to make a difference and change behavior both within the fire service, and among the general public.

To learn more about Michael’s fire safety programming, please contact him at 978-346-4731 or by email at mich[email protected].