by admin on September 7, 2010
We recently talked with Terry Flanagan, NIFAST’s Director of Education and Certification. With more than 32 years of experience in the fire protection and safety field, Flanagan boasts a lengthy list of credentials and certifications that are too numerous to mention in their entirety. Nevertheless, you should know that Flanagan is a graduate of the Air Force Technical Training Instructor Course; he served as a U.S. Air Force firefighter for more than 22 years; and throughout his career, he has hosted a large number of fire safety training sessions, classes and demonstrations. He is also responsible for the development of the first wartime firefighter training course.
Knowing all this, it’s not surprising to learn that Flanagan now spends a great deal of his time conducting fire safety training for businesses. We asked him what topics he’s most concerned about at this time. Here’s what he shared with us.
• Businesses need to conduct annual fire safety training, and all fire safety plans in the workplace must be OSHA compliant.
• Because over 50 percent of all fires occur in one- and two-family dwellings, families need to devise an escape plan—at least verbally. NIFAST’s Home Occupancy course teaches people how to prevent and survive a fire.
• Students who live in off-campus housing are more vulnerable to fire hazards. That’s why Terry strongly urges parents to enroll their college student in NIFAST’s college fire safety program. It is designed to educate students about fire prevention both on and off campus. Most college students are new to working in the kitchen, which increases their risk of being involved in a kitchen fire. At the same time, they lack basic fire awareness, including how to prevent fires, devise an escape plan, and make sure that smoke detectors are in good working condition.
Learn more about Terry Flanagan and NIFAST’s fire education classes at www.NIFAST.org.
by admin on August 26, 2010
This post was provided courtesy of our partner in a fire-safe campus environment, Live Safe.
Live Safe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making and fire and life safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.
Every year college and university students experience a growing number of fire-related emergencies. There are several causes for these fires, however most are due to a general lack of knowledge about fire safety and prevention.
Very shortly, many college students will be on their way to college. Some will be living on campus or in off-campus housing. So, here are some safety tips that students should be aware of. All students should review these tips and parents, please share these tips with your child before he or she heads off to college this year.
The following are a few quick tips that parents and students need to consider:
- Have an escape plan. Learn where all the exits are to make a faster escape in a fire emergency. On campus, there should be a plan in place already. If you don’t know what it is, the Public Safety Office should be able to tell you. If this information is not readily available or you are living off campus, take a few minutes to walk around and do your own pre-plan.
- Know how to make a notification of a fire emergency . Find out where alarm pull boxes are and what number to call to report a fire.
- If the alarm sounds, leave immediately and close the door behind you. Remember to take your keys should you have to re-enter the room if your escape route is blocked with fire or smoke.
- Don’t hang anything from sprinkler heads. This could disable or block the flow of water, which is necessary to help contain or extinguish flames.
- Make sure there are working smoke detectors outside and inside your sleeping quarters. Test monthly. Never disable a smoke detector or the fire alarm. These are installed to give warning to you and your neighbors so you can quickly exit should smoke or fire be detected.
- Only use fire extinguisher for emergencies. They are there for you to use should you have to put out a small, contained fire. Don’t waste this equipment on a midnight water fight! For an extra level of safety, keep an ABC extinguisher in your room and learn how to use it. They are labeled with simple instructions.
Know How To Escape:
- If you have to escape through smoke, get low and get to the nearest exit. The cleanest air is close to the ground.
- Before opening a door, feel the door with the back of your hand. If it’s hot, don’t open it. Find a second way out.
- If you are trapped in your room, seal your door with towels, rags, or clothing so that smoke cannot enter from the hall.
- Get out and stay out. No textbook, homework assignment, laptop, cell phone or wallet is worth going back for. You were lucky to get out safely once. You might not be as lucky a second time.
Article provided by, Wendy Liu. Wendy is a mother, and also the Public Information Officer for the Sayville Fire Department who also enjoys spending time volunteering within the community.
Want more fire safety education for your student(s)?
NIFAST’s FLASHPOINT program is now available to train students across the country on how to live fire safe. The FLASHPOINT program can be purchased for single use by parents or by universities to teach students fire safe living both on and off campus.The FLASHPOINT program teaches students in-depth fire and burn safety through an easy-to-use, self-paced online presentation, coupled with feedback oriented testing and certification.
For more information on the NIFAST Flashpoint Program, visit NIFAST.org.
