Although October is National Fire Safety Month, fire preparedness is one of the top year-round priorities for Rider University’s Department of Public Safety.

Senior Officer Clifford Harris during fire extinguisher training

Rider’s fire safety coordinator, Frank Scharibone, administers programs to update staff members on procedures throughout the year ranging from campus-wide periodic fire drills to educating students in residence halls and organizations about fire prevention and how to protect oneself during emergencies. Rider’s Greek organizations are among the groups which have hosted recent fire safety programs.

Training for public safety staff members is paramount. Staff members undergo extensive training every summer at the Captain Dempster’s Fire Training Center regarding fire classifications, how to respond to different situations, and how to communicate effectively to designated assembly points during an emergency. Training exercises include mock set-ups in which the public safety team learns how to put out staged fires as well as enter and evacuate a building that has endured the affects of a fog machine. The fog simulates smoke.

Lt. Alan Prachar, Communications Officer Tim Medica, and Communications Officer Stacy Coons learn how to respond to a burning building.

“Increasing community awareness about emergency preparedness is very important,” said Vickie Weaver, director of Rider’s public safety department. “The University community is fortunate to have Frank Scharibone, who is a retired Trenton police officer, and three-time elected fire commissioner, as our fire safety point person. We also have a couple of staff members who are volunteer fire fighters. All of our staff members are extremely knowledgeable, committed to Rider and their community at-large.

For more information about Rider’s fire safety preparedness programs, call ext. 5724.

 

 

Previous Story| Next Story

Return to Newswire