ENGAGING STUDENTS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONTESTS
by Eileen Scafidi, NFPA and Robert Ferrara, Montclair State University

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) along with the Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS) launched the contest during Campus Fire Safety Month in September to educate college students about fire prevention so they can protect themselvesin their on- or off-campus housing. Students were asked to submit 30- or 60-second video PSAs highlighting the importance of fire safety. Eileen will discuss the project and the results.

Montclair State University will present The Fire Information and Rescue Education (F.I.R.E.) Bowl competition. Originally run by the State of New Jersey’s Division of Fire Safety for primary school children, F.I.R.E. was imported to the college environment at Montclair State University.

Simultaneously, Montclair State University ran a fire safety poster contest based off of the NFPA’s fire safety week slogan, “Protect your family from fire.” The competitions, which were aimed at increasing student awareness and involvement in fire prevention, had a host of tecnical and logistic obstacles that needed to be addressed. Robert Ferrara discusses the competitions, how they worked, and how they could have worked better, in this “best practices” seminar.

NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. Visit NFPA’s website at www.nfpa.org for more information.

Robert Ferrara is the Director of Fire Safety for Montclair State University. He has 26 years experience as a firefighter in the Lyndhurst Fire Department, including serving as Chief of the Department for four years. He is licensed as a Fire Official and Fire Sub-Code Official. Robert was employed by the New Jersey State Fire
Marshal’s Office as a state fire inspector prior to his employment at MSU in 2002. As Director of Fire Safety for Montclair State, New Jersey’s second largest University, Robert is responsible for all aspects of life safety throughout the campus, which serves more than 3,000 faculty and staff and more than 18,000 students. Duties
include fire and life safety inspections of campus buildings, reviewing plans for construction and renovation projects, and preventive activities. This includes training of University students and personnel, conducting fire and evacuation drills, testing of fire detection and protection equipment, providing educational programs, evaluating materials and establishing guidelines for fire safe materials.

Contact the CCFS Support Team for your Campus Fire Forum 2011 logon information.