The New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC) is pleased to announce that the Cranesville Volunteer Fire Department of Montgomery County has been named the 2016 recipient of the James W. Wright Public Fire Safety Education Award. The award was presented to the department on April 30, 2016, during the opening session of the 43rd Annual Fire & Life Safety Educators’ Conference hosted by NYSAFC and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention & Control at the New York State Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls, N.Y. NYSAFC has presented this prestigious award since 1995 in recognition of outstanding effort in delivering fire and life safety public education programs to citizens in New York state.

The Cranesville Fire Department public education team, led by Firefighter/President Marilyn Sawyer, has taken a proactive approach to fire and life safety, tailoring a program to meet the unique needs of the large population of children that are home-schooled in its response area, as these students are not exposed to regular fire drills and safety lessons. The department developed a home-school curriculum, which provides parents and children with critical information to sharpen their fire and life safety skills and enhance their sensory awareness.

The program includes an introduction to firefighters and a station tour, which familiarizes children with emergency responders. Age-appropriate topics covered include household safety, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, calling 911, and storm preparedness. The Hagaman Volunteer Fire Department provides assistance with its fire safety house, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police have also participated in the program in recent years discussing "stranger danger," and the Greater Amsterdam Volunteer Ambulance Corps has also joined in to assist. The curriculum is continually refreshed to provide new safety lessons, and steps are already being taken to expand the program for the coming school year.

The department also hosts an annual "Fire Prevention and Safety Day" for home-schooled children, which has grown significantly during the past three years to include students from communities up to 40 miles from Montgomery County. Outside agencies are invited to participate, further enhancing the fire and life safety messages delivered. Additionally, the department works closely with the Fulmont Early Childhood Services Head Start Program in Amsterdam, N.Y., where a fire prevention program is conducted twice each year. Department members also assist in the annual Head Start County Carnival hosted in Fonda, N.Y.

In addition to serving this segment of the population, the Cranesville Volunteer Fire Department delivers year-round fire and life safety messages to children, adults, and seniors throughout the largely rural area that it serves. The department has implemented fundraising initiatives to assist in the delivery of fire prevention and life safety education programs in the community.

NYSAFC President Chief Daniel Schwertfeger said, "NYSAFC salutes the members of the Cranesville Volunteer Fire Department for their commitment to fire and life safety education." He added, "Showing our citizens how to prevent fires and injuries, and preparing them to know what to do in the event an emergency does occur is a critical part of what we do in the fire service. Cranesville’s efforts are commendable."