ECFD Community Activities: 

The topics discussed on the following pages talk about the different community projects the ECFD holds for the City of East Chicago

Topics:

• Fire Safety House 
• Fire Prevention Week
• Picnic in the Park 
• Christmas Party

Fire Safety House: 

The Fire Safety House benefits the citizens of East Chicago by teaching them fire safety methods, fire prevention and providing fire education.  Participants are not selected; this is a service the ECFD with the help of the East Chicago Twin City Foundation provide to the citizenry of the City of East Chicago.  This service benefits everyone involved in the program.  Whether it is a school function, Girl/Boy Scout Organization, church group, library function, neighborhood gathering, ethnic festival or city administration activity, we will be there to put forward these messages.  This program is intended to benefit both children and adults.

The ECFD Chief, Val Gomez, is in charge of operating this program.  The Fire Chief has been on the Fire Department twenty-six (26) years.  He has the administrative skills to continue this program direction and keep it running smoothly.  Inspector Captain Robinson helps the Chief in the organization of events and preparing instructors for the Fire Safety House.  Front office civilian personnel, firefighters that work front office/administration and Inspection Bureau personnel are the instructors for this program.

The intended goals of this program:

a.           Educate, prevent

b.           Reduce the incidents of fires

c.           Lower insurance rate

d.           Learn how to survive a fire

e.           Property loss reduction

The methods used to determine the current achievements are the annual fire reports, people giving us first hand experience testimony about the benefits of this program, including positive feedback from various church and school groups. 

Our standards are set forth by the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association).  The NFPA examines the fire incidents we respond to within the city.  The reduction of any loss of life benefits us all.  The citizenry is better prepared for an incident, which improves the overall quality of life. 

For more information, please contact the ECFD at (219) 391 – 8472.         

Fire Prevention Week: 

The first full week of October is designated as Fire Prevention Week.  During this week, the Fire Prevention Bureau visits the schools of East Chicago and puts on a demonstration on the destructive effects of fire, how to practice fire safety and show them some of the things firefighters do.  During the demonstrations, also called revolutions, the children are taught the proper way to handle and use a fire extinguisher, what to do in case of a fire, what to do in case they catch fire and how to get help.  The firefighters demonstrate what a church raise is and how they perform the raise.  Finally, they show how the aerial ladder works and how high it goes.  

Prior to Fire Prevention Week, the schools of East Chicago are informed of the different contests held for the children.  The contests are open to students of East Chicago schools.  The participants must incorporate the Fire Prevention Week theme within their contest submissions.  The top three students selected from each category are invited to attend the Fire Prevention Luncheon held on the Friday of Fire Prevention Week where they will receive an award. 

The following are the contests and rules:

• Poster contest: Held for two grade groups:  grades 4^th & 5^th and 6^th & 7^th.  Must be done on copy paper on typing paper (8 1⁄2 X 11) leaving a 1” border around the edges – media used may include color pencils, markers, crayons, ink, etc.
• Oratorical contest: Speech classes are encouraged to prepare a speech limited to (3-3 1⁄2) minutes for fire prevention.  Speeches are evaluated on a. content, b. delivery and c. voice.  Teacher selects best speech per class who in turn are judged by a committee of qualified judges selected by the Director of Secondary Education and Chief Fire Inspector, John Luellen.  Top three are selected and the first place winner is asked to present his/her speech at the luncheon.
• Essay contest: Open to 8^th grade students and must be 200 words or less.  Essays are judged on two components: a. mechanics and b. content.  Teacher selects best essay from each class and turns them in signed.  An impartial panel of judges judge the entries and top three are be selected.
• Rap contest:  Student or students create a rap relating to the Fire Prevention Week Theme.  The top three raps selected perform during the luncheon and receive an award.

For more information, please contact the ECFD at (219) 391 – 8472.

Picnic in the Park: 

The ECFD holds an annual picnic in the park for children every summer, in July.    This program has given the children in the East Chicago Community the opportunity to meet our firefighters and participate in our bike giveaway.  The ECFD successfully accomplished its 9^th year in 2004 the ECFD strive each year to make the event greater than the previous year for the children of the East Chicago community.  

With the help of the East Chicago Twin City Education Foundation and the East Chicago Community Development Foundation the department has been able to give away over two hundred bicycles and helmets.  Hot dogs, potato chips and juice are provided for the participants of the raffle and their families. 

The picnic has been held at Washington Park, 4200 Parish Ave for the past couple of years.  Flyers and notices are posted and sent home with the children attending the schools of East Chicago.  

Registration for the bike raffle begins at 8:00 A.M. and ends at noon.  The giveaway begins promptly at noon once registration is over.  The bicycles given away range in sizes for ages 2-14.  

The East Chicago Fire Safety House is also available for anyone to visit during the picnic.  Firefighters are available to give anyone interested in learning about fire safety a tour of the fire safe house and explain its purpose.  

The Annual Picnic in the Park is an event you don not want to miss – everyone has fun and almost every child is a winnerJ

For more information, please contact the ECFD at (219) 391 – 8472.

Christmas Party: 

The East Chicago Fire Department will sponsor its 10^th annual “Christmas Party for Children”.  This program is intended to provide toys for more than 200 children in the East Chicago Community.  The ECFD tries to bring smiles to children’s faces by giving away toys, hot dogs, candy and juice and a special visit from Santa Clause.  The children also have an opportunity to meet the ECFD firefighters. 

With the help of the East Chicago Twin City Foundation, East Chicago Community Development Foundation and donations from businesses and supporters within the community, it is possible for the ECFD to make this event a success every year and make it greater every year after.

This event commences at 9:00 am and is open to children ages 3-12 residing in East Chicago.  At noon, children will receive their gifts.  This year the event will be held at the Roberto Clement Center located at 3616 Elm Street on December 11, 2004.

For more information, please contact the ECFD at (219) 391 – 8472.