Graduation kits promote fire safety

Submitted by Countryside Fire Protection District

Countryside Fire Protection District provided Graduation Life Safety Kits to the Vernon Hills High School Class of 2013.

“As seniors graduate and go on to college, we want them to continue practicing the fire safety behaviors we have taught them since kindergarten. We want them to be safe while they are at their new home away from home,” said Fire Chief Jeff Steingart.

According to Center for Campus Fire Safety, at least 129 college students have died in student housing fires in the United States since January of 2000. According to the National Fire Incident Reporting System, each year in the United States there are an estimated 150 fires in fraternity and sorority houses and 80 percent of the fire fatalities occur in off-campus housing.

“I believe that part of the issue with fire safety awareness on college campuses may be from a lack of consciousness and false belief that (nothing) could ever happen to them” said Tony Rodkey, Countryside Fire public education coordinator.

There is a large push to provide information about fire safety issues on college campuses across the United States. Students and parents often assume that every room in an on-campus student residence is covered by an automatic sprinkler system, while others assume their college students have been educated about fire prevention. Prospective students and parents may not know what questions or even think to ask school administrators about the fire safety measures they have in place when they visit campuses.

Countryside Fire Protection District in partnership with, DaVita Village Health, Advocate Condell Medical Center, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Liberty Mutual, and Toshiba Medical Research Institute provide a fire and life safety program to help remind our students of being fire safe while away at school.

“We want them to make a lifestyle change that will stay with them forever, Steingart said. “Fires are dangerous whatever age you are and we want to raise awareness for everyone.”

The graduation gift has many items to make a student think about fire and life safety while they are away at school. The package includes a backpack provided by DaVita Village Health to hold a smoke alarm, first aid kit, N95 mask, hand sanitizer, tissue pack, flashlight, whistle, safety sunglasses, FEMA Get Out Stay Alive brochure, a College Housing Safety Checklist and other items that will promote safety. The young adults received their kits following the graduation rehearsal on June 5.

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