Fire quiz hots up - southern heat

Regional winners Oldbury Wells School's Katie Rogers, Emily Muscat, Molly Richards and Amy Barber with Lynn Hosking and Tony Barnes from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service|Runners up were Bishops Castle Community College - Beth Francis, Angharrad Janzen-Morris, Tom Jones and Josh Bradbury with Lynn Hosking and Tony Barnes from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

The first regional heat of this year's fire quiz organised by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has been won by pupils from Oldbury Wells School with Bishops Castle Community College taking the runners up spot.

Year 7 youngsters from nine schools took part in the quiz held at Church Stretton School on Tuesday, March 20th. Teams taking part also included schools from Church Stretton, Bridgnorth Endowed, William Brookes, Adcote, Ellesmere College, Wrekin College and Oswestry School.

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.

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.

2nd April, 2007