(From L) Wausau Fire Chief Jeremy Kopp, Mayor Doug Diny, and Division Chief Shahn Kariger. MWC photo by Mike Leischner
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Wausau Mayor Doug Diny has declared this week Community Risk Reduction Week, which he’s using to kick off a new community education program that will have the Fire Department working with local schools to teach safety at home.
The Mayor says the focus is on preventing incidents before they happen, which is good for everyone. “If the firefighters [make] fewer runs because we have awareness out there, it reduces risk for families and firefighters. That keeps the community safer.”
Sound Off for Home Safety is sponsored by FEMA and will be presented to second graders in the Wausau School District. Diny says those lessons can also serve as reinforcement for parents, especially things like safe operation of space heaters. “With how cold it is, we sometimes see an uptick in unit or space heater [incidents.] You don’t want to respond to those if you don’t have to. That means [teaching things] like proper cord placement, proper electrical usage, remembering to turn them off, and not letting kids play with them. Starting this education in the schools is a good thing,” said Diny.
The city will also make educational materials available on its website and in the quarterly newsletter.
Diny gave the proclamation at Wausau’s Fire Station 2 on Tuesday alongside Fire Chief Jeremy Kopp and Division Chief Shahn Kariger, who will be responsible for implementing the program.
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