In preparation for Fire Prevention Week in October, the Wadesboro Fire Department is asking businesses and individuals to purchase items off of the department’s wish list that will be used to educate both children and adults about fire safety.
The wish list, hosted on the website for Sparky’s Wish List, includes coloring books, campaign brochures, and a box of materials including a banner, posters, brochures, newsletters, stickers, magnets and bags to be used for the Fire Prevention Week event. The items range in price from packages of 100 brochures costing $23 to the Fire Prevention Week in a Box at $175. After an item is purchased it will show up on the event page, allowing other buyers to see what items are still needed.
The wish list includes a brief message to potential donors. “The citizens of Wadesboro deserve the very best fire & life safety educational information,” it reads. “Please consider helping the Wadesboro Fire Department obtain fire safety education materials for our community outreach programs. Our economy is forcing departments to scale back on their prevention programs, but you have a chance to help. Please support us!”
Marc Sessions, with the Wadesboro Fire Department, issued a press release publicizing the event. “Every year, we see fire-related injuries and deaths that might have been prevented with fire safety education, functioning smoke alarms or practiced an escape plan,” Sessions said in the release. “Our first line of protection is educating the community. Sparky’s Wish List will allow us to work with Wadesboro community members to provide these critical educational resources.”
Each year there are over 360,000 residential fires in the U.S. that cause well over 2000 injuries and 12,500 deaths, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. At the time this article was written, 1419 civilian fire fatalities had been recorded between Jan. 1, 2012 and Sept. 13, 2012, 192 of which were children. In Wadesboro alone, the fire department has responded to 379 fires, according to the department release.
The wish list website allows individual fire departments to create individualized lists tailored to meet their unique needs. Individuals, businesses or others who wish to donate the requested supplies can visit sparkyswishlist.org/Give and pick the city and state and purchase the supplies. The materials will be sent straight to the fire department.
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