Safety day hits the hot spot

More than free food and T-shirts attracted students to the lawn of the William Pitt Union… More than free food and T-shirts attracted students to the lawn of the William Pitt Union yesterday.

Health Safety and Security Day, sponsored by the Staff Association Council, provided students with hands on activities and information from safety-related organizations.

The Pittsburgh Fire Department set up activities to teach students how to properly use a fire extinguisher, stifle an open flame and race a 30 second clock while attempting to hose down a fire.

Firefighter Tom Bartholmew stressed the importance of learning the correct way to use a fire extinguisher.

“People don’t know how to work the extinguisher and get frustrated and run. Then a small flame can escalate into a bigger fire,” he said. “Fires are scary, but you need to know what your doing.”

“The trick to using an extinguisher is to pull [the pin], aim [the nozzle], squeeze [the handle] and sweep [across the flame],” Bartholmew said.

The first week of October is Fire Prevention Week. Floyd McCrea of the Pittsburgh Fire Department said that knowledge of fire prevention is especially important for students living off campus.

Campus facilities are well equipped with fire safety tools, but for off-campus students they provided information on how to make a living space safe.

Information included a home safety checklist and tips to devise an escape plan.

For the past 16 years the fire department has organized Health Safety and Security Day, but this year it expanded to include health-related organizations, Jay Frerotte of the Staff Association Council said.

Other organizations present included the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, Pittsburgh Police, the Department of Poison Control, the Department of Transportation and the Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services.

In need of volunteers, retired Salvation Army supervisor Richard Johnson said he continues to serve because of “the reward you get from going out to help people.”

The Pitt Police advertised the University’s new emergency notification service – a service that through voice and text messages can contact Pitt students in the event of an emergency.

“Health and Safety Day is important for everyone – especially students,” Officer Ron Bennett, Pitt Police spokesperson, said. “Students get so involved in academics they forget about basic safety.”