[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9343]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING SHIRLEY COPELAND

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CLIFF STEARNS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 12, 2004

  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
honor a constituent of mine who received the 2004 Safety Education Hero 
Award from the Home Safety Council. Shirley Copeland, a safety educator 
from Alachua County, Florida, is this year's hero. The Safety Education 
Hero Award recognizes excellence in home safety education each year, 
and is presented for fire safety education that saves a life or avoids 
a disaster. The Home Safety Council in partnership with the 
Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) and the National Fire 
Protection Association (NFPA) sponsor this distinction. Copeland 
conducted a fire safety lesson with the children at Terwilliger 
Elementary School as part of the Alachua County Fire Department's 2003 
Fire Prevention Month outreach program. She used NFPA's Fire Prevention 
Week (FPW) campaign materials, ``When Fire Strikes: Get Out! Stay 
Out!'' During her presentation, Copeland explained the importance 
creating and practicing a family home fire escape plan, with an 
emphasis on conducting nighttime fire drills. Students received fire 
escape worksheets, which they took home to complete with their 
families.
  Copeland's lessons made quite an impression on Paul Jones (age 11) 
and Paige Jones (age 10) who immediately shared Copeland's information 
with their mother. The family discussed the steps of their fire escape 
plan, including quickly exiting the home, calling 9-1-1 from a 
neighbor's home and meeting at a designated area. Remembering 
Copeland's message about the importance of nighttime fire drills, the 
siblings asked their mother to awaken them in the middle of the night 
to put their home fire escape plan into action.
  Less than a month later on December 6, 2003, the family's preparation 
was put to the test. In the middle of the night as the family slept, 
sparks from the fireplace ignited a piece of furniture. Following the 
family's rehearsed escape plan, they swiftly fled to a neighbor's home, 
met at their designated meeting spot and dialed 9-1-1.
  Brenda Proctor now attributes her family's safe escape to Shirley 
Copeland's informative and memorable teachings. Learning of the 
incident, Copeland visited the family at their temporary home where she 
made sure they had working smoke alarms and a new fire escape plan. Mr. 
Speaker, Ms. Copeland received the 2004 Safety Education Hero Award on 
May 5, 2004 from the Home Safety Council during the annual CFSI 
National Fire and Emergency Services Banquet here in Washington, DC. I 
had the honor of meeting Ms. Copeland and am proud that this hero will 
continue to work and promote fire safety in the 6th District of 
Florida.

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