Chief's Corner Archive

A Spotlight on Innovative Fire Prevention and Safety Programs

Home Safety Literacy Project

Posted on August 11, 2006 by Charlie Dickinson, Acting Assistant Administrator, USFA

I am pleased to represent the United States Fire Administration in supporting the efforts of so many to ensure a fire-safe nation. Specifically, I would like to draw your attention to a serious problem we face in this nation when it comes to educating the public about fire safety and prevention.

More than 93 million adults in the U.S. have low reading ability, a serious barrier to learning necessary home safety skills and to understanding and applying key fire protection and disaster preparedness measures in the home. For this reason, the Home Safety Council and its national partners - Pro Literacy Worldwide and Oklahoma State University's Fire Protection Publications - developed the Home Safety Literacy Project to provide an effective, low-cost, highly illustrated alternative to text-heavy public safety handouts. This Project is funded in part with 2003 and 2004 Fire Prevention and Safety Grants through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Office of Grants and Training.

In the process of working with Pro Literacy Worldwide, it was learned that one of the biggest barriers in the process of teaching people to read was the fact that there were very few facilities where Literacy teachers and students could meet. A wonderful solution came about as a result of contacts that Meri-K Appy, President of the Home Safety Council, had with the fire service. In many communities, fire departments were happy to provide space in which Literacy teachers and students could work. In addition, a decision was made to create materials for use in these lessons that teach basic fire safety. These materials are designed for adults who read at lower levels and for those who are learning to speak English. The first phase of the Project introduced highly illustrated fire safety teaching tools and the second phase combines home fire safety education with disaster preparedness training. The obvious beauty of this project is that it makes use of facilities that were already in existence but previously not identified for such use, and ties the fire service, fire safety and prevention, and the wonderful work that Pro Literacy Worldwide does together in a partnership that is beneficial to everyone, especially the citizens who learn to read and practice fire safety at the same time.

Photo of Home Safety Literacy Project materials.

Home Safety Literacy Project

In addition to the basic program described above, the Home Safety Literacy Project includes an Expert Network and those who sign up will automatically receive the new Home Safety Literacy Project materials kit, free of charge. Materials include easy-to-read home safety handouts, written in plain English with many in Spanish. Members of the network may request free home injury prevention educational materials to support community safety outreach, including a video in English and Spanish titled, A Burning Issue: Is Your Family Safe?

Take a look at the Home Safety Council's Web site, read about their literacy project, and consider signing up for their Expert Network.

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