New Bedford/Dartmouth Firefighter Anthony Poente Receives 2019 Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year Award

The 25th annual Fire & Life Safety Education Conference took place September 24-25, 2019 at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel and Trade Center in Marlborough. This year’s theme “A Quarter Century of Fire & Life Safety Education: Proven Successes and Future Challenges” looked at major accomplishments over the past 25 years and looked ahead to future challenges. In 25 years, the average annual number of child fire deaths has dropped 74%, hundreds of thousands of children have received fire education through the Student Awareness of Fire Education Program, thousands of seniors have had smoke or carbon monoxide alarms installed and received in-home fire safety education.

Over 200 firefighter-educators, classroom teachers, elder service workers and injury prevention professionals gathered for workshops on teaching fire, life safety and injury prevention to all segments of the community, from pre-school children to senior citizens.

The Dangers of Juuling and Vaping

Dr. Lester Hartman, MD, MPH from Westwood-Mansfield Pediatric Associates, spoke on The Dangers of Juuling and Vaping. Fire educators have long partnered with health educators to address the fire and health risks of smoking but now fear it will be replaced with this new epidemic. Dr. Hartman addressed the dangers of teen vaping and talked about how these products are marketed to them.

Keynote Speaker: Monica Colby

The keynote speaker was Monica Colby, a fire and life safety educator from Rapid City South Dakota Fire Department who spoke on The Future of Fire Safety Education: What the Fire Service Can Do to Prepare Communities for Current Fire Dangers. She is an active leader in many state and national organizations and is a nationally recognized leader in fire and life safety. Monica practices what she preaches and lives in a home with smart burner technology and fire sprinklers.

2019 Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year Award

The 2019 Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year Award was presented on September 25 to New Bedford and Dartmouth Fire District #3 Firefighter Anthony Poente for his decade of fire education in three fire departments with a combined population of about 130,000. The other remarkable nominees recognized for their efforts were: Joan Byington, Woburn Senior Center; FF Katie Harrington, Worcester Fire Department; FF Jeffrey Pugliese, Watertown Fire Department; FF Michelle Sacco, Chelmsford Fire Department; the Southwick Fire Department as a team; FF Alector Tavares, Boston Fire Department; and FF Vincent Zarella, North Reading Fire Department.

About the 2019 Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year

New Bedford/Dartmouth Firefighter Anthony Poente

For 20 years, Firefighter Anthony Poente has been providing creative, engaging fire safety education to children and the elderly in three fire departments with a combined population of about 130,000. Anthony is a New Bedford firefighter where he is active in fire safety education and is also the lead fire safety educator in two Dartmouth Fire Districts. When Anthony teaches fire and life safety education, he takes other firefighters with him to assist. These helpers are regularly inspired to become fire and life safety educators themselves. Anthony’s skill and enthusiasm helps them understand the importance of the fire and life safety educator in a department’s mission.

In 2018, Kazin Chrisman, a 10-year-old student of Anthony’s in the Dartmouth Public Schools, earned the Young Hero Award. Firefighter Poente was recognized for teaching Kazin how to react in a scary medical emergency and saving his grandfather’s life. Anthony’s work with people of all ages has made, and will continue to make, communities on the south coast safer from fire and other perils.

About the Outstanding Nominees

Joan Byington, Woburn Senior Center

Joan Byington has been an integral member of the Safe Home Initiative, a program to increase older adult safety at homes in Woburn. She has been an instrumental volunteer for this initiative, assisting with programs, reports, and statistics. The Safe Home Initiative and the Woburn Council on Aging have helped a significant number of Woburn residents to make safety changes in their homes. Joan was instrumental in developing, administering and reporting on the results of a survey of almost 200 older adults in Woburn that asked about home safety. The survey asked about steps taken to increase home safety, and steps that residents needed to take. The survey made older adults aware of fire and fall prevention safety and also helped the Council on Aging know which fire and fall prevention safety behaviors to spend more time on promoting. The Safe Homes Initiative is funded in part through Winchester Hospital, a member of Lahey Health. Key partners in the project are the Woburn Fire and Police Departments, the Council on Aging, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of New England, Friends Helping Seniors, Inc., Professional Physical Therapy, and the Woburn Board of Health, Public Media Center and Rotary. The Initiative has been operating since 2017, reaching hundreds of older adults. Joan demonstrated leadership in the program not only by helping with the survey but also by encouraging videos to be filmed and shown on local cable of home safety visits and behaviors. She is also a leader in program planning and implementation. As with all volunteers, busy schedules are a challenge. Joan’s volunteer time and efforts have helped make older adults in Woburn safer.

FF Katie Harrington, Worcester Fire Department;

Firefighter Katie Harrington combines incredible dedication to fire and life safety education with a commitment to excellence. She has taken on the task of HUB-COR. This team of community and government agencies meets weekly to address clients facing elevated levels of risk. They provide supportive intervention before there is an incident needing an emergency response. This is community risk reduction at its best. Harrington has also built partnerships with many agencies including child protective services, elder care, the Sheriff’s department, and the Worcester Police Department. She has an extraordinary amount of energy and an astonishing ability to multi-task. Firefighter Harrington has taken on the third round of funding of their Assistance to Firefighters Grant. She installs smart burner technology in Worcester’s public housing. Harrington also delivers S.A.F.E. lessons in the Worcester Public Schools, and has expanded the program to additional schools. Firefighter Harrington is passionate about making Worcester safer for everyone in the community.

FF Jeffrey Pugliese, Watertown Fire Department

Jeffrey Pugliese is truly committed to fire and life safety education and fully recognizes the value of reaching the most at-risk populations. Pugliese joined the S.A.F.E. team in 2018 and his impact has been profound in just one short year. His background as an elementary school substitute teacher is evident in his ability to engage children, which is a valuable asset to Watertown’s program. Firefighter Pugliese also developed and delivered a 3-part educational series on the fire department to seniors. Each session includes a lecture on one aspect of operations coupled with a related safety message. With limited funding and often working alone, Firefighter Jeffery Pugliese is committed to delivering fire and life safety messages to the most at-risk populations. He continues to seek new and creative ways to reach a variety of audiences. Using his training, education, and experience, he leaves a lasting impression on everyone he meets.

FF Michelle Sacco, Chelmsford Fire Department

Michelle Sacco joined the Chelmsford Fire Department in 2011. She took the fire and life safety education programs from stagnant to successful and has expanded programs to include people of all ages. Under Firefighter Sacco’s leadership, Chelmsford’s programs have become respected and accepted in the community, creating a safer place for everyone. One of the most creative changes Firefighter Sacco made was to revamp the annual open house. Michelle came up with the idea of a Halloween open house. Kids are invited to come in costume and trick-or-treat in the station. They get a small treat and an important safety message at each “stop” in the station. The attendance at the open house has increased dramatically and the public looks forward to this popular event each year.

Department members respect Michelle and truly enjoy participating in the S.A.F.E. program. Because of her leadership, the depth and character of all those involved in Chelmsford S.A.F.E. programs forecasts a bright future. Michelle is the reason for Chelmsford public education success.

The Southwick Fire Department; Team Nomination

The Southwick Fire Department led by Chief Russell Anderson and Safety Officer Lisa Anderson, are dedicated to their work and their mission: to educate residents about fire prevention and safety. Their collaboration with the Southwick Council on Aging on educating and assisting seniors, has had a huge impact. Together they have launched a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm installation program; a house-numbering program; a Sand for Seniors program; and ongoing fire and life safety education. They have installed 200 alarms so far, reaching many who never had smoke or CO alarms in their homes. Sand for Seniors is another program partially funded by the fire department. Firefighters deliver buckets of sand for spreading on icy sidewalks to help prevent falls. Last winter, 40 homes received buckets. The Southwick Fire Department has shown repeatedly that they care about the community, and particularly about seniors. This is because of the leadership shown by Chief Anderson.

FF Alector Tavares, Boston Fire Department

Alector Tavares joined the Boston Fire Department in 2008 after serving five years in the U.S. Army. Now, he is a firefighter for Boston on Tower Ladder 10 in Jamaica Plain. Since his appointment he has encouraged, mentored, and successfully helped 16 young Bostonians to become firefighters. Mr. Tavares has been working with students in the Boston Fire Department’s Teen Academy for four years. He has taught over 120 students between the ages of 14 and 20 about what it takes to be a firefighter. Mr. Tavares has a wonderful rapport with children that visit the firehouse. He stops what he is doing to give tours and show off trucks, tools, fire gear, and ends each tour by sliding down the pole. He makes visits fun, educational, and interesting. Mr. Tavares loves his job and is incredibly dedicated to it. He enjoys helping and caring for the people in his community and his fellow firefighters.

FF Vincent Zarella, North Reading Fire Department

Firefighter “Z” – as the kids call him – has been active in fire and life safety education for 10 years. He teaches the S.A.F.E. program in the public schools and has educated hundreds of children in the past decade. He is also dedicated to teaching fire and life safety to seniors in North Reading using the Senior SAFE program. Vincent is passionate when it comes to educating all members of the community. He uses his high energy and charismatic personality to educate everyone he meets. Firefighter Zarella attended a workshop at the Public Fire and Life Safety Education conference a few years back with Tina Gorman, Director of the Westfield Council on Aging. He was inspired by her talk, and has become a strong advocate for senior fire safety. He is a frequent visitor to the North Reading Senior Center where he speaks about fire safety, fall prevention, and the file of life. He is a valuable asset to the entire North Reading community.