Students learn about home fire safety

Developing a home fire escape plan; establishing a family meeting place away from a burning home; deciding on the items needed to take during a forced home evacuation; putting together a disaster supply kit; making a 911 call; escaping a smoke-filled mobile home; learning to use a fire extinguisher and participating in a mock trial for arson charges.

These were all lessons learned in seventh-grade health classes at Sisters Middle School.

Teachers Marti Dale and Tom Miller worked with Fire Marshall Dave Wheeler and retired Fire Chief Don Rowe to present the 2009 Fire Safety Program to the students

Topics presented during the five lessons included Fire Safety in the Home, Fire Safety Violations, Disaster Planning, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Extinguishers and an escape from a smoke-filled mobile home.

A mock trial, designed to teach students about the consequences of arson and the charges associated with arson, was added to the program this year. Representatives from the State Fire Marshall's Office, Oregon State Department of Forestry, Sisters Fire Department and Deschutes County Sherriff's deputies acted in a mock demonstration of a courtroom trial on arson charges.

Students participated as defendants and as jurors. The mock trial demonstration allowed students to learn about potential charges associated with reckless burning and potential requirements for restitution.

The trial allowed students to witness a courtroom case scenario.

Sisters Middle School's health program and Sisters Fire Department teaming together to provide a fire prevention program appropriate for seventh-grade students is an effort to increase the number of Sisters area youth with valuable skills and knowledge for fire safety.

The fire safety program is taught in the seventh grade, and is part of an Unintentional Injury Prevention and Personal Safety Unit required in the Oregon State Standards for Health Education.