A visiting fire official commended Bermuda for focusing its resources on fire prevention.

Meredith Appy, Assistant Vice President of Public Education for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPS) paid a 24-hour visit to Bermuda to promote fire safety.

Ms Appy said she managed to meet with several fire officials and was pleased to discover the amount of resources that Bermuda allocates to fire prevention and education.

"It is better to put an emphasis on prevention,'' she said. "I applaud you for that.'' Noting the Island's low statistics on fire deaths, Ms Appy added that local children were not exposed to many fires.

"They don't see fire trucks and fires too often, there are not too many fires down here,'' she said. "Obviously you are doing some good things down here.

"But what they (children) will learn are life skills,'' she pointed out.

"They will travel and could experience a fire abroad. Then they will get to use their skills.'' Ms Appy yesterday presented the Bermuda Fire Service with videos featuring Sparky the Fire Dog, a gift from the NFPS to commemorate their 100th anniversary.

Along with the videos, the Fire Service was also presented with Learning Not To Burn guides, from Nalton Brangman of A.F.& S. Ltd., for every kindergarten school in the Island.

"Nalton wanted to donate this for fire prevention week,'' she said. The guides will help teachers to present lessons to young children between the ages of three and five. Also included in the donation were tapes of fire safety songs for the children.

Ms Appy said the material was given to the fire department to distribute to the various schools around the Island.

"Every child from pre-school to grade one will also get a Sparky hand puppet,'' she added. "This way the children get both classroom material plus something fun for them to take home.'' Ms Appy pointed out that fire prevention was an important concept to teach children since they were more open then adults to the information.

LITTLE FIRE FIGHTERS -- Meredith Appy of the National Fire Protection Association yesterday presented the Bermuda Fire Service with educational material for young school children at the Hamilton Fire Station. From left to right back: Malcolm Johnson, Mary Rance, Nancy Manual, Janet Niklausand and Dona Hill. Bottom left to right: Nalton Brangman, students from St. Mark's Preschool, Meredith Appy and John Pacheco.