As everybody’s favorite fire safety dog, Sparky the Fire Dog, celebrates his 68th birthday on March 18, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is reminding the public how critical is to take his fire safety messages seriously. “Sparky is synonymous with fire safety and his messages are just as significant as they were when he was born, if not more significant as today’s homes burn faster than in previous decades,” said Lorraine Carli, Vice President of Outreach and Advocacy for NFPA.
According to NFPA research, if a person has a home fire today, they are more likely to die than they were in 1980. For more than six decades, the official NFPA mascot and spokesdog has worked hard to encourage awareness of actions people can take to make themselves safer from fire. For the past 68 years, Sparky has done a great job at accentuating the importance of being vigilant about fire safety.
reduce fire loss and injuries
His dogged determination has ultimately helped to elevate awareness, and reduce fire loss and injuries in North America and other parts of the world. Sparky aims to achieve even more. Sparky was created by NFPA in 1951, and since then has helped fire professionals, teachers, civic organizations, corporations, and the media to deliver invaluable fire and life safety educational insights to children and adults.
As Sparky blows out the battery-operated candles on his birthday cake, consider these key safety messages:
- Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
- Make a home escape plan. Draw a map of each level of the home. Show all doors and windows and point to the two ways out of each room.
- Plan and practice an escape drill with everyone in the home.
Sparky strives to help everybody learn life-saving fire safety information through these and other educational activities that make learning fun:
- Sparky’s Birthday Surprise App and other games
- The Story of Sparky, The Fire Dog
- The Learn Not Burn Program
- “What’s that Sound” and other videos for kids