May 27, 1998
(Municipal and Provincial Affairs)

The following statement was issued today by Arthur D. Reid, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

In association with my colleague the Minister of Education, I am pleased to advise the House that the nationally recognized Learn Not to Burn Program is now part of the curriculum in 56 per cent of our schools.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Fire Chiefs and Firefighters has been working diligently with the Department of Education and the Office of the Fire Commissioner to ensure the success of this program and all should be commended for their enthusiasm and support.

Our objective is to achieve full implementation by the end of the 1998/99 school year. The Burin and Clarenville-Bonavista South School Districts have already achieved 100 per cent implementation and others are nearing full implementation.

The Learn Not to Burn Program reaches school-aged children, Kindergarten to grade three, with vital life safety information. It stresses the teaching of positive, practical fire prevention behaviour.

This is significant when you consider that 484 fire deaths occurred in our province over the last 25 years, 154 of which were children. Public education of school-aged children through the Learn Not to Burn Program saves lives and reduces property loss from fires.

These life safety skills remain with children and it has been proven that children do remember. As of July 1997, there have been 47 lives saved in Canada due to lessons learned from the program including, I am pleased to say, three in Newfoundland and Labrador.

I am pleased to say that a number of teachers have written the Fire Commissioner's Office to indicate support for the program.

1998 05 27 3:20 p.m.