Vernon Hills grads receive Life Safety Kits

Countryside Fire Protection District provided Graduation Life Safety Kits to the Vernon Hills High School Class of 2015.

"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," Fire Chief Jeff Steingart said.

According to Center for Campus Fire Safety, 169 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," Countryside Fire Public Education Coordinator Tony Rodkey said.

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 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, Toshiba Medical Research Institute, Walgreens and Wal-Mart, is providing a fire and life safety program that will help remind students of being fire safe while away at school.

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

For more information, contact Tony Rodkey at (847) 367-5511 or visit www.countrysidefire.com.

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