Preface

There are numerous fire and life safety programs presented each year across the Commonwealth of Virginia. However, the consistency of these programs and the information shared vary from presentation to presentation. The Virginia State Fire and EMS Association (VSFEMSA) recognized the need for a basic guideline available for all departments that provides a comprehensive package of the necessary information and strategies needed to present an informative fire safety program.

The goals of this VSFEMSA project were to develop a program and provide a statewide fire safety guideline and web site that address the critical need for a basic presentation of fire safety education that is standardized for all departments. This basic program was developed for all ages, but the Firefighters Association stresses the importance of targeting the identified audience: those under the age of 14 and those over the age of 65. This project will incorporate a data collection tool, for which we emphasize the importance of reporting program deliveries in order to analyze the progress and effectiveness of reaching our target audience.

The information in this booklet has been compiled and collected from many informative programs, other fire service resources and many years of experience. It is intended for all departments to use with the freedom to copy and distribute under their own banner as they see fit. This program presents a consistent approach to educating our communities about fire safety in order to eliminate preventable fire injuries and deaths. With this guideline the VSFEMSA aims to create a simple foundation for departments to build on as the need arises for a more advanced and detailed program.