ORAN PUPILS LEARN NEED FOR PLAN TO ESCAPE FIRE

ORAN -- Wade Boggs' parents might not have trained to escape their house during a fire, but he has.

"We haven't all done a fire drill together, but I've practiced opening the windows," said 9-year-old Boggs, who participated in National Fire Prevention Week at Oran Elementary School on Tuesday.

Fire Prevention Week, which runs through Saturday, was marked for national observance in 1920. It originally was only one day, Oct. 9, but in 1922 it was extended to a week.

Oran Fire Chief Michael Ramsey spoke to kindergartners through sixth-graders on Tuesday. The presentations were directed toward the age groups. Older children were instructed how to develop an escape plan from their homes in case of fire, while kindergartners learned to "stop, drop and roll," Ramsey said.

With first-graders, Ramsey taught them a skit where children played the roles of a fire, a door, a window and other objects important when escaping a room in a house on fire. As one child demonstrated how to properly find a way out, the class cheered or booed correct and improper responses, Ramsey said.

Second-grade teacher Mary Glastetter said classes have fire drills twice a year as well as additional fire safety instruction. Elementary school students receive a mark on report cards denoting whether they have satisfactory fire safety knowledge.

Eight-year-old Crysten Heisserer tested Ramsey's knowledge. She wanted to know whether her one-window room was fire safe, how would a firefighter find her in the dark, among other questions.

But he is used to that, she said.

"He's my uncle."

Many area fire departments go beyond the one week, using October to go to schools, hospitals and public places to talk about fire safety.

In Cape Girardeau, the fire department will visit Wal-Mart from 1 to 5 p.m Saturday for a fire safety clinic, including the use of the "Smokehouse," a simulated building designed to teach youngsters about fire safety.

On Oct. 16, firefighters will present programs at Southeast Missouri Hospital and St. Francis Medical Center.

Then on Oct. 23, two tents will be set up at Lowe's Home Center, for a program, featuring fire escape plans. The program will be from 1 to 5 p.m.