Games and Activities Can Help Kids Learn Fire Safety Basics, Says The Hartford
27 Setembro 2004 - 1:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Games and Activities Can Help Kids Learn Fire Safety Basics, Says
The Hartford Company Offers Free Junior Fire Marshal Educational
Materials; Urges Parents to Take Active Teaching Role HARTFORD,
Conn., Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Stop, drop and roll ...
crawl low in smoke ... practice home fire drills. At schools
throughout the nation during October's Fire Prevention Week, many
schoolchildren will be drilled in such fire safety basics as don't
play with matches and crawl under smoke. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040927/NYFNSS02 ) But parents
have a key role to play in re-enforcing fire safety fundamentals at
home, says The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG).
To help moms and dads make fire safety a family affair, The
Hartford is making available free kid-friendly worksheets,
activities and games from its Junior Fire Marshal program, now in
its 57th year. The materials are designed for kids in grades
kindergarten through third grade and are available in both Spanish
and English at http://www.thehartford.com/jfm. "Kids are especially
vulnerable in a fire emergency," says Lalani Perry, who oversees
The Hartford's Junior Fire Marshal program. "If we can teach kids
at an early age how to safely escape a fire emergency, how to
identify fire hazards, and not to play with matches, we can reduce
this tragic statistic." According to the National Fire Protection
Association, some 824 youngsters under age 15 die in home fires
each year. Perry recommends that parents emphasize fire safety,
especially by holding periodic home fire drills. Fire Prevention
Week, October 3 - 9, is a good time, she says, for parents to sit
down with their kids to discuss a fire emergency plan and map out
escape routes in case of fire. "A good method we've found is to
involve the kids in the planning process," says Perry. "Ask them to
draw a picture of your home's interior, showing the places for
doors, windows and smoke detectors. Have them draw at least two
ways out, and then as a family hold practice drills with everyone
meeting at a safe place outside." Games and activities, posted on
The Hartford's Web site, can bolster fire safety messages. "Parents
can reinforce the idea of crawling low under smoke by hanging
sheets in a room two feet off the floor and asking their kids to
crawl under the fabric," said Perry. "Or pin orange felt 'flames'
onto the back of their kids' shirts to simulate burning clothing to
practice stop, drop and roll. Our worksheets can make learning
about fire safety fun." Parents should also make sure their
youngsters know the safe way to get help. "If there's a fire
emergency, first evacuate your house, then call the fire department
from a neighbor's house," says Perry. "Kids as young as three and
four can be taught how to call 911." Additionally, Fire Prevention
Week is a good time for parents to double- check their fire safety
equipment to ensure good working order. There should be a smoke
detector on each floor and batteries should be changed annually.
Perry recommends parents demonstrate the smoke detector's alarm so
their children can recognize the sound in an emergency. For nearly
60 years, The Hartford Financial Services Group has been teaching
America's youngsters fire safety fundamentals through its Junior
Fire Marshal program, the nation's oldest corporate-sponsored
public education program. The company reaches nearly two million
school-children a year with four essential fire safety messages:
don't play with matches; crawl under smoke; stop, drop and roll;
and hold home fire drills. The Hartford estimates it has
distributed more than 110 million of its signature red plastic
Junior Fire Marshal fire helmets over the years. The Hartford is
one of the nation's largest financial services and insurance
companies, with 2003 revenues of $18.7 billion. The company is a
leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group
benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business
property-casualty insurance. The Hartford's Internet address is
http://www.thehartford.com/. Some of the statements in this release
may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution
investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees
of future performance, and actual results may differ materially.
Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties
that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and
uncertainties include those discussed in our Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q, our 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other
filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We
assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the
date issued. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040927/NYFNSS02
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: The Hartford CONTACT:
Marnie Goodman, +1-860-547-3898, , or Pamela Rekow,
+1-860-547-8990, , both of The Hartford Web site:
http://www.thehartford.com/
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