Wednesday 20 September 2006 -
13.00hrs
AF&RS employs students to highlight fire safety to their
peers
Thousands of Bristol students are being warned about the dangers
of fire – by other students.
Avon Fire & Rescue Service has employed three Student Safety
Advocates to work on a five-week project to highlight fire safety
for people studying at the University of the West of England
(UWE).
The students were selected after an intensive application and
interview process, before being thrown straight into their project.
Kaleb Debbage, aged 22, Joanna Steeds, also 22, and Justin Boult,
aged 34, had to create their own campaign aimed at their target
audience of 30,000 students at the university. They also had to
make presentations to senior managers with AF&RS and research
their subject.
They developed their project around the message "Fire Kills
Students" and designed a series of logos based around the
matchstick character, which could be found on boxes of matches in
the 1990s. They created personalised ashtrays, keyrings and flyers,
all carrying important fire safety messages aimed at a student
audience. As well as visiting the Freshers’ Fair at UWE, they are
in the process of writing an article for the student newspaper,
Western Eye.
Kaleb and Jo have both recently graduated, Kaleb from, Bristol
University and Jo from UWE, while Justin is about to enter the
third year of his degree at UWE.
The students had a variety of reasons for becoming involved in
the project. Both Jo and Justin are interested in health promotion
and safety promotion, while Kaleb has dreamed of becoming a
firefighter since he was five-years-old. He plans to apply when
AF&RS is next recruiting.
They said: "This is a unique opportunity to work peer to peer to
promote safety messages, by students, to students. We have been
treated with so much respect and integrity while doing this job,
and we are really enjoying it. It is an important role and they are
important messages to get across. We hope that by using an iconic
symbol people will recognise, they will take on board our safety
messages."
Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive Kevin Pearson said: "We are
delighted to have the Student Safety Advocates working with us, and
they have worked very hard on their campaign. By being students
themselves, it gives them an excellent understanding of their
target audience, and the best way to get across vital fire safety
messages."