FDNY Kicks off Fire Prevention Week in Rockefeller Center,
Swears in More Than 2,000 Junior Firefighters

Hotdog, the FDNY fire safety mascot, interacts with the more than 2,000 children who attended the Fire Prevention Week kick-off in Rockefeller Center. View Gallery

Wearing red fire helmets, more than 2,000 children raised their right hand and pledged to “practice fire safety and share what I have learned with others.”

The school children’s oath as a junior firefighter - which echoed from the Rockefeller Center Ice Rink on Oct. 5 - helped kick off the FDNY’s annual Fire Prevention Week.

“Thank you all for helping us save lives,” said Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano. “With your help we’ll keep New York fire safe.”

The children, who hailed from 30 schools located throughout the five boroughs, were treated to demonstrations by firefighters, including high-angle rescue and vehicle extraction. They also got the chance to tour fire engines and fire trucks, and learn about fire safety from the Department’s Fire Safety Education team.

It was all part of the annual Fire Prevention Week, which helps the Department inform the public about the importance of fire safety and fire prevention.

Lt. Anthony Mancuso, from the Bureau of Fire Safety Education, spoke to the crowd about the importance of changing smoke alarm batteries, practicing fire escape plans and calling 9-1-1.

“I hope you all will learn as much as you can about fire safety, then go home and teach your families about how to stay fire safe,” he said.

Student Tony Jackson, 9, from P.S. 63 in Ozone Park, Queens, said he’s going to do just that: “I want my family to always be fire safe.”

National Fire Prevention Week was established in 1922, to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire on Oct. 8, 1871, that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless and destroyed more than 17,400 structures. Fire departments throughout the country have since commemorated the anniversary every year, in the second week of October, teaching others about how to stay fire safe.

Learn more about Fire Prevention Week events in your neighborhood.