Sunday, February 22, 2009

Upcoming Safety Talk Radio Segment Scheduled for February 25th

Join Firefighter Dayna Hilton as she interviews Lori Moon, Program Coordinator for Fire Corps. Lori will share tips on how Fire Corps can enhance your fire safety education program.

For more information, please click HERE.

Please note: If the novelty lighter legislation happens to fall on the same day, the program will be re-scheduled.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Arkansas Senate Passes Novelty Lighter Ban Bill 34-0

On Thursday, February 19th at the State Capitol in Little Rock, Senate Bill 154 (An ACT to Protect the Health and Safety of Arkansas’s Children; and to Prohibit Sales and Distribution of Novelty Lighters) passed unanimously in the Senate.

Firesafetyeducator.com was at the Capitol and covered the proceedings during the vote on the Senate floor, interviewed Little Rock Fire Department Assistant Chief Don Kinney and Attorney General Dustin McDaniel.



Below you will find an article written by the Associated Press

The state Senate has approved legislation that bans the sale of novelty lighters.
By a 34-0 vote Thursday, the Senate approved the bill that bans lighters resembling items recognized as appealing to children, such as cartoon characters, toys or animals. The bill sets a fine of between $25 to $500 for retailers selling the lighters.

Sen. Sharon Trusty, R-Russellville, sponsored the bill. Trusty said 13 other states and 20 cities in Arkansas already ban the lighters.

In September 2007, investigators attributed the deaths of 15-month-old Peyton Edwards and 2-year-old Breydon Edwards of Russellville to the boys playing with a lighter.

The bill now heads to the state House.

*Note from firesafetyeducator.com~ To date, 2 states have passed legislation, Maine and Tennessee

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The bill is scheduled to go before the House Committee on AGING, CHILDREN AND YOUTH, LEGISLATIVE & MILITARY AFFAIRS. Firesafetyeducator.com will post information on when the committee will meet as soon as the information becomes available .

For more information about the novelty lighter initiative or for other questions that you may have, please call me at 479.979.7328 or email me at daynark@gmail.com. You may also contact Lt. Mark Shoemaker at 501-812-5942 or email him mshoemaker@northlittlerock.ar.gov


Other important links:

SB 154: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Bills/SB154.pdf

SB 154 Status: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Pages/BillStatusHistory.aspx?measureno=SB154

No Novelty Lighters Website
http://www.nonoveltylighters.com

Video from KATV Channel 7 Little Rock
http://cfc.katv.com/videoondemand.cfm?id=34004

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Arkansas’ Novelty Lighter Ban goes to Senate for Vote on Thursday

On Wednesday, February 11th, at the State Capitol in Little Rock, Senate Bill 154 (An ACT to Protect the Health and Safety of Arkansas’s Children; and to Prohibit Sales and Distribution of Novelty Lighters) passed unanimously in the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 154 was then returned by the Committee to the Senate, with the recommendation that it Do Pass.

Firesafetyeducator.com interviewed Senator Sharon Trusty, Lt. Mark Shoemaker (NLR Fire Department), Jimmy Parks (Arkansas Children’s Hospital) and others after the Senate Judiciary Committee. The video is below:



Below you will find an article written by Doug Thompson of the Morning News on February 11th:

Bill To Ban Novelty Lighters Advances
By Doug Thompson

THE MORNING NEWS

LITTLE ROCK -- A bill to ban novelty cigarette lighters that resemble toys was recommended by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

"This little frog's eyes blink, it makes a 'ribbit' sound and sets your house on fire," Attorney General Dustin McDaniel told the committee while testifying for Senate Bill 154 by Sen. Sharon Trusty, R-Russellville. Trusty, McDaniel and Rep. George Overbey, D-Lamar, were all working on legislation to prohibit lighters shaped like small animals, cars, airplanes and other toylike appearances. They discovered each other's efforts early in the session and agreed to back one bill, Senate Bill 154. All three appeared before the committee Wednesday.

The chief concern of the bill's supporters is that children playing with what appears to be a toy could unintentionally start fires, the committee was told.

The bill defines a novelty lighter as a lighter with "entertaining audio or visual features that depict or resemble in physical form or function articles commonly recognized as appealing to or intended for use by children 10 years of age or younger, including without limitation, lighters that depict or resemble cartoon characters, toys, guns, watches, musical instruments, vehicles, toy animals, food or beverages, or that play musical notes or have flashing lights, or other entertaining features."

McDaniel, Trusty and Overbey were supported at the meeting by representatives from 23fire departments from around the state who were ready to testify in favor of the bill.

No one spoke against Senate Bill 154, which now goes to the Senate.

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SB 154 is on the calendar for Thursday, February 19 at 11:00 (time is subject to change).

To date, Arkansas has led the way with more local ordinances passed than any other state and is one of 19 other states considering bans.

For more information about the novelty lighter initiative or for other questions that you may have, please email me at daynark@gmail.com. You may also contact Lt. Mark Shoemaker at 501-812-5942 or email him mshoemaker@northlittlerock.ar.gov

Other important links:

SB 154: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Bills/SB154.pdf

SB 154 Status: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Pages/BillStatusHistory.aspx?measureno=SB154

No Novelty Lighters Website
http://www.nonoveltylighters.com

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Children's Fire Safety Webpages Launched

Firesafetyeducator.com Press Release

Clarksville, AR-- Two children’s fire safety websites have been launched for children and their caregivers by Fire Safety Educator Dayna Hilton. The Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog and Firefighter Dayna websites are designed to share valuable fire safety tips in a fun and interactive way.

"According to the United States Fire Administration, the very young (those under 5) have a much greater risk of death than other children. In fact, that age group accounts for 12% of [all] fire related deaths – the highest proportion for any age group,” said Hilton. She went on to say that the site is geared toward that age group as well as children up to age eight and their caregivers.

Hilton described the sites stating, “Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog loves helping teach fire safety and her website (http://www.sparklesthefiresafetydog.com) features activities for children, including fire safety videos, activity sheets, fire safety tips and much more.”

She went on, “Children can meet Sparkles’ friends and see photos of Sparkles at work and at play. Children are welcome to submit their fire safety videos and coloring pages to Sparkles, send Sparkles a fire safety question, or ask Sparkles a question about being a fire safety dog or a firefighter.”

Hilton shared that Firefighter Dayna’s website (http://www.firefighterdayna.com), “is an interactive fire safety site for children and their caregivers that includes fire safety videos, coloring pages, activity pages, fire safety craft ideas and much more.”

In addition, “Children are invited to submit their videos, coloring pages and fire safety craft ideas. Children are welcome to send fire safety related questions and Firefighter Dayna will individually answer each question” according to Hilton.

To learn more, contact Firefighter Dayna Hilton at daynark@gmail.com.