As any parent of a middle-schooler can tell you, it’s not easy or often that you can successfully compete with the attraction of cell phones, I-pods, TV, and electronic games. So how can public educators get important fire safety messages across to kids today? And, equally important, how can a vital technical topic such as home fire sprinkler systems be brought to life for kids raised on cutting edge sensory technology?

HFSC has tools that can help. Start by checking out HFSC’s Tips for Improving Home Fire Sprinkler Educational Outreach. This is a new feature that offers fire safety educators resources and guidance for communicating about sprinklers to all age groups – including middle-school students. The tips are available online and as part of the new Public Education Kit.

“The most important step for presenters is to know your audience, and tailor your messages appropriately,” says Barbara Guthrie, who represents Underwriters Laboratories Inc. on HFSC’s Board. “It’s a mistake to try to make a presentation ‘one-size-fits-all’ and doing so can be counterproductive or even harmful with young children.”

To help educators fine-tune presentations so they are just right for the audience, HFSC has pulled together different communications approaches for different age groups. To keep the messages focused, HFSC also suggests specific resources that are age- appropriate.

For middle school students, these include:

• Colorful flashover chart handout
• A dramatic home fire timeline movie edited specifically for students (in Flash technology)
• A home fire sprinkler quiz for students
• Animated sequence demonstrating fire hose vs. fire sprinkler
• Animated sequence illustrating fire sprinkler activation

You’ll find these and more great materials on HFSC’s Web site: HomeFireSprinkler.org. For additional tools that combine visual interest with important safety messaging, try these resources from HFSC Board organizations:

Learn Not to Burn
The guiding principle of NFPA’s time-tested Learn Not to Burn® Curriculum (LNTB) is teaching fire safety in a positive, non-threatening manner. With educational activities for children in Preschool through eighth grade, LNTB is a powerful tool for educators. Learn more about LNTB and other appropriate educational outreach for middle school students at www.nfpa.org.

Wild About Safety
Disney’s Wild About Safety program, developed in partnership with UL, is a highly visual educational resource tailor-made for children ages 5-12. Learn more at: www.ul.com/consumers/kids/index.html.

Fire Science
With help from HFSC, the Home Safety Council (HSC) recently developed “Fire Science,” to help middle school students understand home fires and life-saving technologies such as fire sprinklers. Download the free program at: www.homesafetycouncil.org/programs/pr_firescience_w001.aspx.