Bright sparks from Wrockwardine Wood School in Telford and The Grange School in Shrewsbury have won through to the final of this year's county fire safety quiz after beating 14 other schools from Telford and Shrewsbury in a hotly contested round of questions.
Schoolchildren were competing in the first regional heats of the "life skills" safety quiz organised by Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service.
Hosting the western regional heat in Shrewsbury was The Grange School who successfully won through against teams from schools at Belvidere, Mary Webb, Meole Brace, The Priory, Sundorne, Wakeman and Corbet Sschool. Hosting the eastern regional heat in Telford was Wrockwardine Wood School who successfully won through against teams from schools at Abraham Darby, Idsall, Ercall Wood, Sutherland, Phoenix, Madeley Court and Lord Silkin.
Two more heats are being held this week at the Thomas Adams School in Wem on March 21st involving nine schools from The Grove; Lakelands; The Marches, Oswestry; Sir John Talbot; Adams Grammar; Newport High School; Burton Borough and Adcote. And at Church Stretton School on March 22nd involving Bridgnorth Endowed; Community College;Ludlow; Oldbury Wells; William Brookes; Moor Park, Oswestry and Wrekin College.
Year 7 pupils are dealing with rapid fire questions in the Be Cool Be Safe competition which teaches 11-year-olds all about general safety including tips on how to stay safe with fire, water, on the roads and railways, how to deal with school bullies, facts on alcohol and tobacco, and what to do in an emergency.
They have all been studying hundreds of facts, figures and expert advice compiled into a 28 page magazine and accessed on the Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service website at www.shropshirefire.gov.uk
Road safety officers', police, fire, Community Safety Partnerships, and alcohol and drug professionals have all contributed to the information.
Steve Affleck, head of PSHE at Wrockwardine School said that all 200 year 7 pupils had benefited by learning all about the fire quiz information.
"All the children and in turn the parents are now clued up. It was very helpful to be able to access the information online at the fire service website."
Lynn Hosking, the Youth Officer with the fire service, who compiled the information said: "At Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service we are working to prevent accidents from happening. That is the serious message behind the quiz.
"We have got all the fire safety advice for children at home and on holiday as well as details on hoax calls, arson, fireworks, bonfires and the necessity of smoke alarms and a whole lot more about general safety.
"The quiz is exciting and fun for pupils and gets important lifesaving educational messages across to 11 and 12-year-olds in an interactive style. They take the safety messages home and educate their parents about what they have learned."
A total of 6,000 booklets have been delivered to Shropshire schools for teachers to use as part of a lesson plan. Regional heats are being held across Shropshire culminating in a grand final at Easter.
This is the 6th Be Cool Be Safe quiz in its new format. In the year 2000, 16 schools took part and this year 34 Shropshire schools are taking part in regional heats across the county with winning teams going head to head in the final on April 25 at Telford Fire Station.
The event culminates in post quiz parties at night clubs in Telford and Shrewsbury for all participants. Hundreds of schoolchildren from across the area will later celebrate with a post quiz party at a local night club in May to mark their efforts.
Firefighters had been working with schoolchildren to pass on knowledge about many aspects of safety which they need to keep them safe.
