We use shapes every day as adults, although we may not realize it. Think about rearranging the furniture, cleaning out the kitchen cupboards or the refrigerator - all done according to the shape of the items in them, and how they will relate to each other. Road signs and markings... Continue reading

Over 33,000 firefighters gathered at the Fire Department Instructors Conference 2013 (FDIC) that took place in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the NFPA Public Education division was present. I had the opportunity to staff the exhibit this year with our Central Region Public Education Advisor, Meredith Hawes, and promote all of the... Continue reading

NFPA hosted a roundtable of experts to evaluate what new research must be done to ensure that we are teaching the correct fire safety behaviors using developmentally appropriate practices for children age three to five. The group determined that “cool a burn,” although critically important, is not an appropriate behavior... Continue reading

One of Sparky’s “10 ways to have fun this spring” is to make a Sparky pinwheel. A paper pinwheel amazes young children in how you can take very simple items and turn them into something entirely different. It has been so windy in New England the last few days and... Continue reading

Although it might not feel quite like it here in New England, it is officially spring. With the arrival of spring come blue skies, blooming flowers and spring cleaning. This is the perfect time for a refresher on fire safety tips that should be followed year-round. Keeping fire safety in... Continue reading

I have two dogs and they love any kind of treats. As a matter of fact, they go bonkers for them. Sparky the Fire Dog loves treats too and it's his birthday so we're celebrating all month long. For Sparky’s party, we made some easy dog treats. So why not... Continue reading

When conducting focus groups among ministers serving people in a high-risk to fire community in Memphis, the public education division learned that ministers would be willing to have a fire safety educator or firefighter give a fire safety presentation to the congregation during the actual service. This is a 10-minute... Continue reading

One of our very own Public Education Network representatives had a house fire this year and is experiencing firsthand the complexity and devastation of a post-blaze situation. After his own home caught on fire, Tim Szymanski, public information officer for Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, says he will have more... Continue reading

We are dealing with frigid temperatures this week here in New England. Everyone is bundled up and children are having to play indoors. Here is a great indoor activity for kids. Make a fun winter scene with Sparky the Fire Dog. It is as easy as print, cut and glue.... Continue reading

Help send Sparky the Fire Dog® around the world! Color, decorate and cut out Flat Sparky, take a picture of him on an adventure and share it with us. You can post the photo to Sparky's Facebook page, or pin it to Pinterest and mention @NFPA in your caption! Continue reading

When I was a first grade classroom teacher, I was always looking for ways to integrate my lesson plans. Each month on Sparky's Parents & Educators website there is a different "Learning Link". These are incredible activities and wonderful ways to integrate fire safety education into other core subjects in... Continue reading

Sparky the Fire Dog® has his own website and a page for parents and educators with lots of fun activities. Everyone is using social media these days, including our very own Sparky the Fire Dog. If you're a Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest user, show Sparky some love and follow his... Continue reading

The holidays are a perfect time to reach out to friends and loved ones to let them know we are thinking about them. Save a stamp and send a smile to someone’s inbox with a Sparky e-card. Sparky has many e-cards to choose from. Wish someone a happy holiday, have... Continue reading

Lighting up the Christmas tree is a tradition in many households, but without proper fire safety, these same decorations could increase your chances of fire. If you are planning to buy a Christmas tree this year, it is important to remember fire safety. Download NFPA’s free Christmas tree safety tip... Continue reading

Winter holidays are a time for families and friends to get together. But that also means a greater risk for fire. Boxes of decorations, candles and strings of lights will be unpacked and spread throughout homes. Seasonal family feasts will be prepared. While intentions are great to keep safety top... Continue reading

The Thomasville North Carolina Fire Chief Martin Dailey, the Public Education Team, and the Fire Corps recently attended the Thomasville City Council Meeting. At the meeting they received a proclamation from Mayor Joe Bennett proclaiming October 7-13, 2012 Fire Prevention Week throughout the city. It is wonderful to see the... Continue reading

The NFPA Public Education Field Advisors work hard throughout the year to spread the word about all of the wonderful things that NFPA has to offer. Each year they are busy promoting Fire Prevention Week in their regions. They present and have exhibits at state conferences and also at larger... Continue reading

As Fire Prevention Week approaches, we must remember that fire prevention is something we need to emphasize all year long. NFPA encourages everyone to continue to strengthen their prevention and safety campaigns and spread community awareness to help keep residents stay safe and prevent tragedy throughout the year. NFPA is... Continue reading

Sparky the Fire Dog® was spotted at the Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Summer Shootout Series to promote Fire Prevention Week and to give out invitations to Kannapolis Fire Department (North Carolina) Fire Prevention Week Open House. A Kannapolis Fire Department firefighter (Kevin Aube) is also a Legends car driver... Continue reading

Fire Prevention Week (FPW) is fast approaching but across the country, students are going off to college and moving into residence halls, dorms, off-campus housing, sororities and fraternities. For many of these students, it will be the first time they will be on their own, but with this independence, comes... Continue reading

As a former classroom teacher, finding great books or stories that promote fire safety were few and far between. Our new FPW short story, “Perfect Penelope” is great for shared reading and sparks discussion about fire safety and FPW. “Perfect Penelope” can be found on our FPW Kid’s Page. Penelope... Continue reading