#FDNYSmart School of the Month

Big congratulations to the #FDNYSmart school of the month, the Hernando De Soto School, PS 130 in Manhattan.

The Pre-Kindergarten-5 school in District 2 Chinatown has worked with the FDNY to bring fire safety education both into their classrooms and into their surrounding community.

The school established a relationship between the FDNY Phoenix Society – an affiliated fraternal organization that represents FDNY personnel of Asian descent – and the Administration and Parent/Teacher Association (PTA).

Thanks to that relationship, the school, which services more than 900 students – worked with the Fire Safety Education Unit from December 2016 to May 2017 bringing fire safety lessons into classrooms and into the community.

“Teaching fire and life safety is one of the most important functions of our Department,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro. “Young people are among the most vulnerable to fire, and we are grateful to the Hernando De Soto School for reaching out and educating their students with this potentially life-saving information.”

Educators worked to expand the fire safety messaging beyond their classrooms and brought life-saving lessons to the community through cultural and holiday celebrations.

FDNY members took part in Christmas and Lunar New Year gatherings and brought holiday spirit and safety messaging to the students and their families. Additionally, the FDNY was involved in health fairs and community gatherings sponsored by the school administration, but open to residents in the surrounding neighborhood.

“Educating our children is a key factor in spreading the word on the importance of fire safety,” said Principal Renny Fong. “Our students and the community are always excited to partner with the FDNY. They came during the holidays and it was such a treat for us to hear from them and learn about fire safety. We welcome more opportunities to learn about Fire Safety Education and keeping our families safe through the FDNY. We are grateful for this partnership.”

“We know that bringing lessons in fire safety into classrooms has the power to save a life,” said FDNY Foundation Board Chairman Stephen Ruzow. “These students bring the lessons they learn home with them and teach their families how to prevent emergencies and how to respond in case of a fire. We are so proud of schools like the Hernando De Soto School for actively looking to partner with the FDNY and to educate their students and the communities around them.”

The school has received such positive feedback from both parents and community members that they are now looking for new opportunities for training sessions, as well as ways to implement seasonal fire safety trainings for students and residents within the community.

Congratulations to the Hernando De Soto School, PS 130! Thank you for working to keep your students and your surrounding community #FDNYSmart!

For more information on how you can get involved with our Fire Safety Education Program, please click here.