By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
Fire safety is the goal as the Decatur Fire department kicked off its annual three-week program this week.
Fourth graders from throughout the county participate in the classes held at the Survive Alive House in the Safety Village/Worthman Field area of Decatur.
Decatur Fire Chief Jeff Sheets told city council that the program began Nov. 4 and will continue through Nov. 22.
Students from all three public school systems attend, as do parochial students, homeschoolers and some from Amish schools.
Special-needs students also have attended, Sheets said at one time.
As many as 450-500 students may take part this year.
Thousands of youngsters have participated in the program over the years.
Survive Alive classes began in 2000 and in 2020 a milestone of 10,000 students and chaperones was reached.
The program employed by local firefighters “teaches E.D.I.T.H, (Exit Drill In The Home), which means working smoke detectors, two ways out of the home, a safe meeting place, and the proper way to use 911,” according to Sheets.
