| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCTOBER 4, 1999 |
Contact: Bill
Teets at (614) 644-7187 |
State Fire Marshal Makes Fire Safety Video Available to Colleges
Westerville Helped Develop National Video
Westerville—State Fire Marshal Robert R. Rielage announced today the availability of a nationally recognized video on fire safety at colleges and universities. Today’s announcement coincides with National Fire Prevention Week (October 3-9).
"Fire safety is for everyone," said Marshal Rielage. "When I saw this video, I immediately knew it was a way to reach a segment of our population that may not otherwise be taught fire safety. That’s why the Office of State Fire Marshal has committed to putting this video in the hands of every college that wants a copy."
The 16 minute video is called "Get Out and Stay Alive." It is specifically designed for students in college residential settings such as dormitories, off campus apartments and fraternity houses. It combines safety tips with modern rock music, college party scenes, film footage of actual collegiate fires and interviews with friends and families of students killed in those fires.
"The primary goal in developing this video was to create enough of an impact on those students who viewed it to make them take fire safety seriously," said Chief Peter Wilms of the Westerville Division of Fire. "It was the unfortunate death of a Wisconsin student and the subsequent actions of his family that led to this video and its powerful message.
The video has ties to Central Ohio. Following a fatal fraternity house fire in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the Westerville Division of Fire began searching for educational materials it could share with Otterbein College. Westerville’s interest led to its being invited to participate on a national task force addressing the issue. That task force was convened due to the efforts of the family of a University of Wisconsin Eau Claire student who died in an off-campus housing fire. The family, in conjunction with the Eau Claire fire department, was able to obtain a grant from the United States Fire Administration to produce the video, and the task force helped research and design it.
The video was sent by the USFA to more than 1,500 colleges and universities nationwide in the summer of 1999. Marshal Rielage is making an extra effort to ensure that all Ohio colleges have the opportunity to request the video. He is sending a letter to all of Ohio’s colleges and universities, making them aware of the video and an additional video designed to acquaint college administrators and facility managers with fire sprinklers and fire safety systems.
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Fire Safety Video
"This video helps us fulfill our duty as educators to ensure that our students have a safe environment in which to live and study." Said Brent DeVore, president of Otterbein College. President DeVore also noted that Otterbein uses the video as part of its safety training for resident assistants.
Colleges and universities wishing to receive a free copy of
"Get Out and Stay Alive" or "Ready to Respond" for facility managers can contact the State Fire Marshal at (888)243-0305.
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