Emergency services are ‘saving lives through education’ as online resource is released

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) has backed the release of StayWise, a new learning platform for pupils aged between 3-18 years. The free website uses ‘the educational resources of the emergency services’ and safety charities, which are then linked to the national curriculum.

StayWise provides lesson plans, activity sheets and videos to teach young people ‘about potentially lifesaving advice,’ within the framework of ‘core curriculum subjects.’ Students are able to acquire ‘fire safety’ knowledge during maths or science sessions. Alternatively, writing ‘escape plan instructions’ and ‘information on how to keep safe in their community,’ could be used as components for an English lesson.

With many children now being home schooled due to the pandemic, there are plenty of resources available on the website for those supporting young people in their learning process. Teachers may ‘set work’ for students to complete ‘as part of a remote learning plan,’ that parents and carers can follow. The user friendly website allows individuals to select an age group, subject or theme which subsequently generates 'a collection of resources.' 

Steve Holton, Area Commander for Prevention at HFRS, said:

“As a fire and rescue service, we are committed to keeping our communities safe. StayWise is a fantastic new resource for everyone to use. Offering teachers, parents and the emergency services consistent and effective educational materials to help young people learn about a range of safety topics is even more critical when so many of us are isolated and need to make positive decisions in our day-to-day lives to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.”

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) leads the partnership behind StayWise. Moreover, the programme seeks to unite ‘safety education activity’ throughout the UK. Other affiliated organisations include: the Royal Life Saving Society, Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), HM Coastguard, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, National Police Chiefs Council and the Injury Minimisation Programme for Schools.

Chris Bigland, Deputy Chief Fire Officer for HFRS, Lead for Education of NFCC, and StayWise’s Programme Director, added:

“StayWise is committed to saving lives through education. By working together with our partners, we have produced a consistent learning resource that educators from across the community can use with confidence, whether they’re teachers, home-schooling parents, or emergency service staff and volunteers. We have released the site early to support home learning for 3 to 11-year olds, but we’ll be expanding the resources available for older age groups in the coming months.”

To find out more visit: www.staywise.co.uk