Trust and security in our trained professionals!

The designation and date of Fire Prevention Week this past week was not by happenstance. Over 250 people were killed and over 100,000 homeless after the Great Chicago Fire destroyed 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres on October 8th Chicago fire. This week of awareness also serves as a reminder to all of us of the tragedy fire can bring to our lives and the importance of our local fire department.



Each year we work diligently throughout our school district to provide a safe environment for our students, staff, and visitors. Related to fire prevention we employ many measures to help prevent and/or react to a fire. All of our buildings have safety plans which include fire procedures. These plans have been developed in conjunction with the guidance and support of both the Piqua Fire and Police Departments and are updated on a regular basis.



Every school building has a fire alarm system which is used both for awareness and evacuation purposes along with communicating with our local fire department. We have posted evacuation plans throughout our buildings and other facilities. Staff members familiarize our students with the evacuation routes and discuss reaction strategies. We conduct practice fire drills on a monthly basis to keep our students and staff conditioned. Our bus drivers also conduct evacuation drills from our buses.



Along with our alarm systems each building also has fire extinguishers placed strategically throughout each structure. Extinguishers are inspected regularly to insure effectiveness. Specific areas such as science labs have other equipment such as fume hoods, eye-wash stations, and showers to help protect our students and staff if a crisis were to occur. Our three new elementary buildings, along with Piqua High School and Piqua Junior High School all have fire sprinkler systems which can be used as active fire protection measures for control.



Awareness, education and modeling are all an important part of preparing our students and staff for emergencies. Throughout the school year our staff members are constantly working with our students on safety protocols regarding fire prevention. In partnership with the Piqua Fire Department we work cooperatively to provide fire safety awareness for our students and families.



Our work with our students is also geared to expand beyond school. Our goal is to help develop and strengthen safety awareness and strategies as part of basic life skills within our students. Developing mental questioning skills so our students are routinely asking questions such as: Where is the nearest fire extinguisher? Where is the nearest emergency exit door? Does a potential fire hazard exist?



I encourage you to join in our mission by tackling questions like these at home with your family members. Talk with them about what to do when an emergency arises. Generate action plans just in case something does happen. Work through concerns and questions. Utilize resources available through the internet or contacting our local professionals at the fire or police departments. Having these discussions in preparation can go a long way if a true crisis occurs.



We want to extend safety thinking and questioning beyond school and into our students’ homes. We encourage parents to work with their children at home to plan and practice escape routes, test smoke alarms, and practice using fire extinguishers. The 2014 National Fire Week theme “Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month” is a great reminder of the importance of the simple actions we can take to help protect our friends and family.



We are fortunate at Piqua City School District to have a great relationship with our local fire and police departments to provide awareness and support for our safety. Both departments provide great resources to our district and our community. They are wonderful in helping us to plan and prepare our staff and students for potential crisis situations. We also know they are ready at any instance to respond when we need them. Being responsible for over 3,650 students and over 360 staff members, I trust and take security in knowing that we have well trained professionals ready to respond! Thank you Piqua Fire and Police Department staff members! We Are Piqua!