Many of us haven’t had fire preparedness training outside of work… or maybe even since the fire drills of our early school years.
If you are interested in learning about how to keep you, your family, and your neighbors safe - as well as learning about the tremendous resources available in our community - you can do what some of our neighbors did this year.
They coordinated with the Alexandria Fire Department, and one of our local firefighters presented two information sessions in a resident’s home. Topics included fire prevention, response, and local and national resources (like Smart911). Contact our community management office for more information.
PS: Fire preparedness training sessions might be great service projects for Scouts looking for ideas.
Summary
- Carlton Place Condos hosted two Fire Emergency Preparedness Training sessions that were provided by the Alexandria Fire Department’s (AFD) Community Outreach Coordinator. Both sessions were well attended and well received
Planning and Execution
- Residents were interested in learning how to prevent fires and respond if one occurs.
- AFD’s outreach coordinator enthusiastically supported our training request and was very flexible about when, where, and how many times to offer the training.
- Each training session was scheduled for an hour and a half (7:00-8:30 p.m.). This worked well for attendees to arrive; mingle briefly and settle in; ask questions during the presentation; and chat briefly after the presentation
- The presentation included the following topics:
- Overview of AFD history and resources
- Various aspects of fire safety
- What to do if there is a fire
- Related resources to assist first responders e.g., Smart911 (Smart911)
Communications
- The initial concept was presented to the Carlton Place Condo Association Board of Directors during a regular monthly meeting, and the board was supportive of the idea.
- The idea was also presented to Cameron Station Management (CAMP) who also supported the idea and expressed interest in sharing the model with others in the Cameron Station community.
- Information about the training was shared through several channels during the weeks leading up to the event.
- Weekly emails were sent to residents with information about the training and a request to RSVP.
- Flyers were designed by a volunteer resident and placed in the foyer, elevator, and garage of each building as well as at each unit’s door.
Admin / Logistics
- Both sessions were held in a resident’s home to create an informal, familiar atmosphere.
- The format was a slide presentation from the presenter’s work laptop connected to the host’s television via an HDMI cable (provided by the resident). This worked well.
- Seating capacity was capped at 20 per session. Both sessions were full and had one person on a waiting list should anyone cancel. Positive feedback and sharing after the first session prompted additional requests to attend Session 2 which accommodated 26 attendees.
- The AFD presenter brought a number of printed materials for attendees. Extras were placed in the flyers of each of the Carlton Place condos.
Notes, Observations, and Lessons Learned
- The combination of flyers in common areas, at each unit door, and email reminders seemed to strike a good balance of frequent communication without becoming burdensome.
- Hosting in a resident’s home did provide a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. If the number of attendees exceeds capacity for someone’s home, a meeting room at the Cameron Club may be a suitable option. During pre-checks, connecting a laptop to the monitor in a Cameron Club meeting room was easy.
- We chose to not offer a virtual option. That can be another variation to consider.
POC
Firefighter Leslie Palucho
Alexandria Fire Department Community Outreach Coordinator
leslie.palucho@alexandriava.gov
703-746-5217 Office
703-304-6235 Cell
Bill Metheny, and his wife Lori, have enjoyed living in Cameron Station since 2014 when friends told them about this great neighborhood. After renting for a couple of years, they committed and moved into Carlton Place Condominiums. Bill, Lori and their family moved around the world with the military before settling in Northern Virginia. Bill and Lori love our neighborhood and the many activities the area offers. They especially like biking with friends locally, around the US, and occasionally in other countries.
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