Springfield Fire Department, Parents as Teachers to provide families with fire extinguishers

(From the Springfield Fire Department)

During the month of October, which is designated as Fire Prevention Month, the Springfield Fire Department will give 270 residential fire extinguishers to Parents as Teachers participants. Families will also be eligible for free smoke alarms. The extinguishers and alarms are funded by grants from FEMA and the Bee Payne-Stewart Foundation.

Beginning Monday, October 3rd, the Springfield Fire Department and Parents as Teachers (PAT) will host 4 open houses throughout the month at area fire stations. During the open houses, families can tour the fire station, see a fire truck and meet firefighters.

Families may also qualify to bring home a free fire extinguisher. To qualify, families must currently participate or register to participate in Parents as Teachers and live in the city of Springfield. They must also currently not own a residential fire extinguisher and agree to complete a short training session during the open house. The training lasts less than 5 minutes and includes a hands-on demonstration on how to use a fire extinguisher. "This partnership ensures 250 Springfield families will now have access to a potentially life-saving device," said Chief David Hall. "Giving more parents access to a fire extinguisher and teaching them how and when to use it will help reduce the risk to our most vulnerable citizens - young children."

Open houses will be held from 9-11 a.m. each Monday in October at the following locations:
•October 3: Fire Station #10, 2245 E. Galloway
•October 10: Fire Station #4, 2423 N. Delaware
•October 17: Fire Station #5, 2750 W. Kearney
•October 24: Fire Station #8, 1405 S. Scenic

The fire extinguishers were paid for with a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and are available while supplies last.

Additionally, Parents as Teachers is the recipient of a $2,500 donation from the Bee Payne-Steward Foundation. This donation will be used to purchase smoke alarms. The Springfield Fire Department will install these alarms in the homes of Parents as Teachers families. The Springfield Fire Department and Parents as Teachers have a goal to ensure every PAT family has an alarm on every level of the home and in every bedroom. "We are honored to be the recipient of this donation," said PAT Director Missy Riley. "We know more than half of Parents as Teachers families do not have adequate smoke alarm protection. We are excited to use these funds to help protect more families."

Parents As Teachers is a free, voluntary program offered through the Springfield Public School system to help ensure Kindergarten readiness. PAT serves families with children prenatal to kindergarten entry. It is a program based on home visits and screenings.