It’s Up to You! Judith S. Okulitch M.S. Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal North Carolina Fire and Life Safety Conference February, 2011 Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Learning Objectives Identify a proactive educational approach to reduce youth set fires Identify a proactive educational approach to reduce youth set fires Identify health education standards that need to be incorporated into fire safety curriculum to change behavior Identify health education standards that need to be incorporated into fire safety curriculum to change behavior Identify how media messages are constructed and ways for students to develop critical thinking skills in middle school Identify how media messages are constructed and ways for students to develop critical thinking skills in middle school Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Age 9 & under37%34%31%49%29%31% Age 10 & above63%66%69%51%71%69% Peak ages for arson arrests 13 – 14 years. Youth-set Fires

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Generation M: Media in the lives of 8-18 year olds rd to12 th graders were administered questionnaires rd to12 th graders were administered questionnaires Conducted by A Kaiser Family Foundation Study in March 2010 Conducted by A Kaiser Family Foundation Study in March 2010 Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Key Findings Young people today live media-saturated lives, spending an average of nearly 71/2 hours a day with media. Young people today live media-saturated lives, spending an average of nearly 71/2 hours a day with media. In the last 5 years, there has been a huge increase in media use In the last 5 years, there has been a huge increase in media use An explosion in mobile and online media has fueled media use An explosion in mobile and online media has fueled media use Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Key Finding –Mobile Media Cell phones Cell phones IPods IPods MP3 Players MP3 Players Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Key Finding –Online Media –High Speed Internet –TV content online and Internet Gaming –Social Networking –YouTube Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Television Dominates Media Consumption Dominates Media Consumption 41/2 hours a day 41/2 hours a day 59% watch on a TV set at the time of programming 59% watch on a TV set at the time of programming 41% time shifted or occurs on a platform other than a TV set 41% time shifted or occurs on a platform other than a TV set

Media in the 21 st Century A youth on average watches over 30 hours of TV a week. A youth on average watches over 30 hours of TV a week. By 18, the youth will have viewed 200,000 acts of violence including 40,000 murders By 18, the youth will have viewed 200,000 acts of violence including 40,000 murders Television teaches viewers—who have difficulty discriminating between real life and fantasy— violence is an acceptable way to solve problems. Television teaches viewers—who have difficulty discriminating between real life and fantasy— violence is an acceptable way to solve problems. TV glamorizes violence. TV glamorizes violence. Media is either telling or selling. Media is either telling or selling. Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Media’s Influence Today’s youth are immersed in media but not necessarily media-savvy Today’s youth are immersed in media but not necessarily media-savvy Media often affects – and may even determine – their perceptions about fire. Media often affects – and may even determine – their perceptions about fire. Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Are they (your stakeholders) basing their opinion of the fire department on televsion? Are they (your stakeholders) basing their opinion of the fire department on televsion?  Backdraft  Ladder 49  Rescue Me What are our children learning about the fire department and fire safety from the media? What are our children learning about the fire department and fire safety from the media? How does this influence their use or misuse of fire? How does this influence their use or misuse of fire? Fire in the Media Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Fire in the Media -Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation hours of children’s programs—1,960 scenes depicting fire or smoke 108 hours of children’s programs—1,960 scenes depicting fire or smoke  39% during the program  61% in commercials  64% scenes depicted fire as safe and without consequences Action adventures accounted for 56% of flame depictions Action adventures accounted for 56% of flame depictions 1 of every 3 minutes of television programming has fire or explosions 1 of every 3 minutes of television programming has fire or explosions

Fire Interest Survey-2001 Grades 3-8 Grades Boys 2689 Boys 2629 Girls 2629 Girls  Student Demographics  Fire Safety Knowledge  Fire Related Behaviors  Attitudes toward ( and beliefs about) fire  Reasons for Starting Fires Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Fire Knowledge 94% received fire education 94% received fire education 95% knew that a match could burn down a house 95% knew that a match could burn down a house 62% reported having a fire escape plan 62% reported having a fire escape plan 94% reported have working smoke alarms 94% reported have working smoke alarms 89% knew to crawl low 89% knew to crawl low 80% knew to call fire dept from neighbors 80% knew to call fire dept from neighbors 29% understood the fire triangle. 29% understood the fire triangle. Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Attitudes about Fire 61% like to help adults light or put out fire 61% like to help adults light or put out fire 33% report being afraid of fire 33% report being afraid of fire 46% reported liking TV shows that show fire scenes 46% reported liking TV shows that show fire scenes 21% like to play with matches and lighters 21% like to play with matches and lighters 47% report setting unsupervised fires 47% report setting unsupervised fires Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Just for fun (23%) Just for fun (23%) To destroy something (22%) To destroy something (22%) Because they were bored (19%) Because they were bored (19%) To see what would happen (18%) To see what would happen (18%) To get attention (24%) To get attention (24%) Oregon Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior Reasons that kids say... Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Premise for curriculum development The media portrayal of fire is unrealistic The media portrayal of fire is unrealistic The average person, both adult and child, has been desensitized to fire The average person, both adult and child, has been desensitized to fire In many communities, formal fire education stops at third grade. In many communities, formal fire education stops at third grade.

Fire Education=Fire Survival  Smoke alarms  Home escape planning  Stop, drop and roll  Fire safety is an ADULT responsibility

Traditional methods of fire education-young children Bringing fire trucks to schools Bringing fire trucks to schools Sparky Sparky Word puzzles, coloring books, Word puzzles, coloring books, Fire education ended in elementary school—K-3 Fire education ended in elementary school—K-3

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Put a new face on fire education Media-scape Internet, TV, Ipod, MP3, Cell phone, Nintendo DS Fire safety messages must compete in this environment Perception of fire is from the MEDIA

It’s Up to You! Middle school fire awareness and disaster preparedness curriculum Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

The Content The goal of this curriculum is to help middle school youths develop critical thinking skills and learn to make responsible choices about fire and life safety. The goal of this curriculum is to help middle school youths develop critical thinking skills and learn to make responsible choices about fire and life safety. Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Core Concepts Accurate knowledge about fire is essential. Accurate knowledge about fire is essential. Human-caused fire can be prevented. Human-caused fire can be prevented. Fire and life safety skills can be learned Fire and life safety skills can be learned Fire and life safety is a personal responsibility. Fire and life safety is a personal responsibility. Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Wellness Model Public Health Public Health Public Safety Public Safety  Personal  Community Goals is to increase students abilities to become health and safety conscious members of their communities Goals is to increase students abilities to become health and safety conscious members of their communities

Goal of Education... empower students with knowledge and skills they need to understand:... empower students with knowledge and skills they need to understand:  how media techniques,  cultural perspectives,  historical events  technology,  peers and family values influences their (fire) safety behavior? influences their (fire) safety behavior?

Why national curriculums don’t work NOT ---Change your clock, change your battery------OREGON has a 10 yr long life battery law for smoke alarms NOT ---Change your clock, change your battery------OREGON has a 10 yr long life battery law for smoke alarms NOT----OPEN Flames in classroom….Fire Code prohibits open flames in classroom NOT----OPEN Flames in classroom….Fire Code prohibits open flames in classroom

Why Fire Ed in Health Education Each of the health and safety related behaviors that are required by the Dept. of Education must have a developed curriculum. Each of the health and safety related behaviors that are required by the Dept. of Education must have a developed curriculum. Scope and Sequence Scope and Sequence Benchmarks Benchmarks Assessment Strategies Assessment Strategies Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Integration with Health Standards Standards were adopted in Feb Standards were adopted in Feb Goal is to prepare students to make healthy and safe decisions and take action concerning personal, family and community. Goal is to prepare students to make healthy and safe decisions and take action concerning personal, family and community.  Ability to obtain,  Interpret,  Understand health and safety information  Develop competence to make good decisions about health and safety. Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

The Skills Common Curriculum Goals  Accessing information  Analyzing influences  Self management  Decision making  Goal setting  Advocacy  Interpersonal communication Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

It’s Up to You! Lesson Plan #1 –Fire and the Media 1 Lesson Plan #1 –Fire and the Media 1 Lesson Plan #2—Fire Science Lesson Plan #2—Fire Science Lesson Plan # 3- Fire Prevention Lesson Plan # 3- Fire Prevention Lesson Plan #4 –Survival Skills Lesson Plan #4 –Survival Skills Lesson Plan #5- Responsibility Lesson Plan #5- Responsibility Lesson Plan #6—Fire and the Media 2 Lesson Plan #6—Fire and the Media 2 Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Show Media Clips Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Lesson 1-Fire and the Media 1 Who is telling the story? Who is telling the story? Who is the audience? Who is the audience? How many people did it take to create the message? How many people did it take to create the message? What are the production roles? What are the production roles? What the various elements that make up the whole video clip? What the various elements that make up the whole video clip? What is the message about fire? What is the message about fire? Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Backdraft video

What is the message? It is ok to go back into a burning house to get possessions. It is ok to go back into a burning house to get possessions. There is no smoke in a fire. There is no smoke in a fire. What else? What else?

House Clip

House Clip 1

House Clip 2

House Fire Video Clip How does this compare to Backdraft? How does the video make you feel? What techniques were used to create that response? Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Fire and the Media 2 A (6) Analysis of media A (6) Analysis of media B (7) Media messages development ( for younger audiences) B (7) Media messages development ( for younger audiences) C (8) Media messages development (for adult audiences) C (8) Media messages development (for adult audiences) Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Show n Tell Students will complete a storyboard planning worksheet Students will complete a storyboard planning worksheet Students will create a PSA, Powerpoint, radio PSA, poster Students will create a PSA, Powerpoint, radio PSA, poster Northwest Academy constructed projects Northwest Academy constructed projects Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

Under Measure 11 Video Project Video Project Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal

OSFM commitment to HKLB Funding Funding  $80, budget  Coordination with local fire departments  Training for technical assistance

Website Address: Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal