EDUCATION AWARD For decades Mt. Lebanon firefighters have dedicated their time and energy to educating the public, especially school children, about fire safety. They are justifiably proud of their efforts, but now they have an award to prove how good their programs are—the Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services (VFIS) presented Mt. Lebanon with its Chief Robert W. Little, Jr., Memorial Fire Safety Education Award. The award recognizes nine fire companies throughout the state with outstanding fire safety education programs. Mt. Lebanon took first place in the over 10,000 population category.

Mt. Lebanon’s fire education includes its long-running elementary school program, through which firefighters visits kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms every year with age-appropriate lessons in fire and life safety. In recent years, the fire department has added programs for seniors and college students and, when requested, plans special classes for Scout Troops and other organizations. The department also offers a juvenile fire setter intervention program.

The VFIS award includes an $800 prize, which the department will use to purchase additional materials for its education programs. For more about the department’s education programs, go to mtlfd.org/life-safety- education.

HAVE A SAFE HOLIDAY Yes, once again it’s time to do our annual reminder of ways to keep your holiday season safe.

Be candle smart Keep candle burning to a minimum, place candles away from flammable items and areas where pets could knock them over. Never leave a lit candle unattended.

Keep it wet Make sure your Christmas tree is well watered and placed away from heating vents and fireplaces. A dry tree is a fire waiting to happen.

Take it outside Don’t attempt to dispose of your Christmas tree or any decorative greens in your fireplace. Check the January issue of mtl for curbside tree pickup dates.

Get a designated driver According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration an average of 36 DUI related  fatalities occurred daily in the U.S.; that number increases to 51 daily over Thanksgiving and 54 daily during New Years.

Shop smart Place packages out of sight in the trunk and lock your car while in stores shopping (and even when the car is in your own driveway!). Never leave your purse unattended in a shopping cart.