NFPA Journal - July/August 2012 - (Page 42)

>>outreach NFPA’s Public EDucAtioN DivisioN lisa braxton Team Effort A closer look at a Jensen grant winner o n a Friday afternoon in April 2011, the College Station Fire Department in Texas responded to a blaze at Cripple Creek Condominiums, a housing complex whose residents included students attending Texas A&M University. High winds helped push the fire through one of the Cripple Creek buildings; 14 of the building’s 16 units were badly damaged, the College station Fire Department used the Jensen grant to create fire safety education training for property managers, landlords, and building owners using nFPa website videos, DVDs, brochures, tip sheets, and talking points. this is a call-out. with property damage estimated at more than $600,000. One person was injured when they were cut by broken glass. Investigators traced the fire to discarded smoking materials. The fire occurred just a month before the department was awarded the Rolf H. Jensen Memorial Public Education Grant, to support its Rental Housing Fire Reduction Education Program for the college community. Off-campus rentals provide housing to more than 40,000 students who attend Texas A&M University and Blinn College. The fire department teamed up with the Bryan-College Station Apartment Association, the Texas A&M Department of Student Life, and more than a dozen other project partners, including Cripple Creek Condomini- ums, to develop the program. The $5,000 Jensen grant is presented each year by NFPA to a local fire department in the United States or Canada to support a community-wide fire and life safety education program or campaign. The Jensen grant winner: College Station (Texas) Fire Department. College Station Fire Department used the grant to create fire safety educadispensers stated, “We make tion training for property managers, house calls. Is your smoke alarm landlords, and building owners working?” Drink coasters with using NFPA website videos, DVDs, an illustration of a crossed-out lit brochures, tip sheets, and talking cigarette read, “Just because you’re points. Rental managers and offdone smoking doesn’t mean it’s campus leaders, such as sorority and out.” fraternity house directors, took the Through this multifaceted, training to students. cooperative campaign, the fire A public service announcement department’s PSA program has aired on local television. In the reached more than 2,500 students spot, a talking smoke alarm with a in person at student conferences, low battery encouraged renters to fire safety events, and fire drills, check him once a month and change and more than 40,000 households. his battery if needed. In addition, College Station Fire Department educational messages were posted officials say they look forward to on social networking sites. During developing statistics indicating “walks and talks” coordinated with the long-term impact of the rental the Texas A&M Department of Stuhousing PSA program. dent Life, fire safety information was The application deadline for the distributed in rental neighborhoods. next Jensen grant is February 8, Cindy Giedraitis, public educa2013. For more information, visit tion officer for the College Station nfpa.org/Jensen. To get a Campus Fire Department, assembled giveSafety Tip Sheet that covers both aways for students that included fire on- and off-campus housing, visit department contact information nfpa.org/education and click on and catchy fire safety messages. “safety tip sheets.” Emery boards and sticky-note pads read, “You check facebook. Do you Lisa braxton is project manager for NFPA’s Public Education Division. check your smoke alarm?” Bandage 42 NFPA JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2012 Photograph: College Station Fire Department http://www.nfpa.org/Jensen http://www.nfpa.org/education

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - July/August 2012

NFPA Journal - July/august 2012
Contents
First Word
Mail Call
In a Flash
Perspectives
Firewatch
Research
Heads Up
Structural Ops
In Compliance
Buzzwords
Outreach
Electrical Safety
Wildfire Watch
Fenway at 100
Crowning Achievement
Safety at Center Stage
Firefighter Fatalities in the United States, 2011
What’s Hot
Looking Back

NFPA Journal - July/August 2012