A regional heat of this year's county fire quiz organised by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has been won by pupils from the Marches School in Oswestry with Newport Girls High School taking the runners up spot.
Year 7 youngsters from eight schools took part in the quiz held at Thomas Adams School, Wem, with pupils from the Marches, Sir John Talbot, The Grove, Burton Borough, Adams Grammar, Newport Girls High and Rhyn Park.
All the county's 11-year-olds have been brushing up their knowledge to answer a series of questions on a wide range of safety issues including 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. A total of four regional heats are taking place across the county involving 36 Shropshire schools with the winners and runners up taking part in a grand final in April.
Pupils have all been studying hundreds of facts, figures and expert advice compiled into a Be Cool Be Safe magazine and accessed on the county fire service website at www.becoolbesafe.co.uk
Road safety officers', police, fire, Community Safety Partnerships, and alcohol and drug professionals have all contributed to the information, said competition organiser Lynn Hosking, the youth officer with the fire service.
"Pupils learn a lot of useful information through the classroom project which helps make them aware about how to stay safe. These are life skills they are being taught and they have a lot of fun competing against other schools."
Firefighters have been into a number of schools to carry out quiz sessions with some pupils as part of fire safety education.
This year a record 36 schools are taking part in the event which has grown in interest across Shropshire secondary schools since 2000 when 16 schools took part.
