Tragedy illustrates need for training

The events of last week's deadly house fire in Arlington Heights should remind us of the continued need for fire safety education in our schools. The Finnerty children who escaped most likely learned what to do from some fire education program in our schools.

Despite budget cuts and lack of funding we in the fire service must continue to get our message out.

Fire safety education along with fire prevention programs are very difficult to see any measurable results. But this is truly an event that we can say that our programs do pay off. If we do not reach our children by the sixth grade they may never learn about smoke detectors, escape plans and Stop Drop and Roll until it's too late.

There are times when we in the emergency services cannot change the outcome of a call no matter how well trained, how fast we get there or how good our equipment is.

But two lives were saved, maybe because a teacher or firefighter made a difference.

Lt. Chuck Sheahen

Rolling Meadows Fire Department, retired