Lowell Elementary School hosts Junior Fire Marshal Day

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- An oven fire breaks out in the kitchen. What do you do? Tuesday morning Lowell Elementary school students learned the key to survival in what could be a deadly situation.

They also learned how to keep safe in other dangerous scenarios. All of it took place inside insurance company The Hartford's Fire Safety House. They brought Junior Fire Marshal Day to the school because Fresno ranks 72 among the top 100 cities with the highest home fire risk.

"Every 90 seconds there is a home fire in the United States and many of those fires are started by children," said Jeff Welch, the Hartford spokesperson. "The program is geared towards ages 6-9, that's really a time where children are becoming a little more experimental."

They're teaming up with the Fresno Fire Department to educate first through third graders. They also made a 10-thousand dollar donation to the school district and another to the fire department.

The contribution will help education programs like Central Valley Burn Aware.

"They need to be taught basic kitchen safety, home fire safety, what they need to do," said Laurie Sawhill, fire prevention inspector. "Stop drop and roll if they catch on fire. Crawl low under smoke."

Third-grader Brandon Jimenez was one of the many who successfully completed the house fire simulation. He learned valuable lessons.

"Safety is important to live," said Jimenez.

He plans to take what he learned and educate his younger siblings.

"Teach them about not to touch hot things," he said.

With winter approaching and more people getting ready to use their heaters, the fire department says what children learned here could be vital in the coming months.