New Jersey Division of Fire Safety Announces2013 Scholastic Fire Safety Poster Winners
New Jersey Students Share Their Artistic Talents UsingNational Fire Prevention Week’s Annual Theme, "Have Two Ways Out"

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III today announced the winners of the New Jersey Fire Safety Poster Contest for the 2012-2013 school year. The poster contest is cooperatively organized by the DCA’s Division of Fire Safety and the New Jersey Fire Prevention and Protection Association. This year, the winning posters will be featured in a 2014 Fire Safety Calendar distributed statewide.

"The annual fire safety poster contest is a great way to teach New Jersey children important fire prevention and safety lessons," said Commissioner Constable. "Additionally, the 2014 Fire Safety Calendar will serve as a tremendous tool to keep fire safety on the minds of kids and families year round."

Announced at the start of the school year, the poster contest asked students from across New Jersey to apply their artistic talents to National Fire Prevention Week’s annual theme, "Have Two Ways Out." This message stresses the importance of knowing two means of escape from a structure in advance of a fire.

In addition to the award-winning student artwork, the 2014 Fire Safety Calendar will provide reminders at the bi-annual time changes to check and replace smoke alarm batteries; dates for significant fire safety events such as National Fire Prevention Week; and seasonal cautions concerning fire safety. Each month will feature the artwork of a winning poster. The free calendar will be distributed throughout New Jersey.

"We are pleased to partner with the New Jersey Fire Prevention and Protection Association in making our children aware of what they can do to keep themselves safe from fire. What makes this contest especially gratifying is to see all these great examples of student artwork focused on a public safety cause," said Acting State Fire Marshal William Kramer, Jr.

"It is our hope that the 2014 Fire Safety Calendar will become a widely seen and used component of a broader push to educate the general public about fire safety," said Stanley Sickles, President of the New Jersey Fire Protection and Prevention Association.

Prizes for this year’s contest will be received by winners from seven divisions at a luncheon held on June 13, 2013.

This year’s winners are:

Student

Division

Grade

School

Town

Chloe Genzel

1

Grade 2

New Albany Elementary School

Cinnaminson

Aryan Thaper

2

Grade 5

Martin Luther King, Jr. – PS #11

Jersey City

Sakou Kromah

3

Grade 8

Arts High School

Newark

Emily Lockwood

4

Grade 11

Bergen County Academies

Hackensack

Katarzyna Sierant

5

Grade 12

Union County Vocational-Technical High School

Scotch Plains

Shymaine Armstrong

6

Grade 8

Martin Luther King, Jr. – PS #11

Jersey City

Heather Loughran

7

Grade 12

Central Regional High School

Berkeley Twp.


Shymaine Armstrong is this year’s overall winner.

The contest and its awards were made possible via the sponsorship of several companies, including Atlantic City Electric, City Fire Equipment Company, Fire & Safety Systems Company, Monmouth County Fire Prevention & Protection Association, New Jersey Chapter of the America Fire Sprinkler Association, and The Joshua Marcus Group.

The Division of Fire Safety serves as the central fire service agency in the State. The Division is responsible for the development and enforcement of the State Uniform Fire Code, as well as for implementing public education and firefighter training programs.

More information on the Division of Fire Safety can be found online at http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dfs/.