For Immediate Release

Monday, Feb. 6, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Whitman Fire-Rescue Awarded S.A.F.E. Grants

WHITMAN – Chief Timothy J. Grenno is pleased to announce the Whitman Fire-Rescue has received more than $6,500 from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services for two Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) programs.

The award will grant $3,951 to the department for the S.A.F.E. program, and an additional $2,596 for the Senior S.A.F.E. program.

The S.A.F.E. Program is a state initiative designed to provide resources to local fire departments to conduct fire and life safety education programs in grades kindergarten through 12. The mission of the program is to enable students to recognize fire hazards and teach key safety behaviors that should be used anytime a child comes into contact with a fire. Since the S.A.F.E. program’s inception in 1995, the average annual number of child deaths caused by a fire has fallen by 72 percent in Massachusetts.

The Senior S.A.F.E. program was created to support fire and safety education for older adults, who are most at risk of dying in fires in Massachusetts. Senior S.A.F.E. builds on the successful 22 years of the school-based S.A.F.E. program to create a partnership between fire departments and senior support services, such as the Council on Aging, Senior Center, Visiting Nurse Association and other similar agencies.

The grants will fund the department’s smoke detector installation program for Whitman’s senior community and fire prevention activities at Whitman Public Schools.

“These grants from Department of Fire Services will allow our department to better educate more students and senior citizens on effective, life-saving measures,” Chief Grenno said. “We are thankful to the committee for their consideration and look forward to utilizing these funds in a way that best benefits our community.”

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