Seymour schools prepare students for emergencies

Seymour Schools' Director of Security Rich Kearns works with Chatfield-LoPresti
Elementary School fourth grade students practicing an earthquake/tornado drill. /Submitted photo

SEYMOUR - A presidential proclamation was issued by President Barack Obama Aug. 31 declaring September as “National Preparedness Month.” 

Over the last two weeks all Seymour Public Schools' fourth graders participated in the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s “Students Tools for Emergency Planning” program, also known as STEP. 

This is the ninth year Seymour students have participated in the STEP Program which was piloted in Seymour in 2008. Seymour Public Schools Director of Security Rich Kearns received national recognition when FEMA modeled the national program after the Seymour program. 
The STEP Program is sponsored by FEMA and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. 
Rich Kearns, Director of Security for Seymour Public Schools, presented the program to all fourth grade students at Bungay Elementary School and Chatfield-LoPresti Elementary School. 
Seymour Police Department School Resource Officers Jack Harkins and Corey Tomasella assisted Kearns in showing students the steps on how to prepare their families in the event an emergency or disaster was to strike. 

Each student was given a backpack to take home that contained items to help start building their own family emergency kit along with information to share with their families letting them know where to start to better prepare them in the event of an emergency. 

Conducted drills
The goal of STEP Program is to provide some resources to families in the community to better prepare them for emergencies as it is found that if people are better prepared to deal with a crisis the outcomes and recovery process will be that much easier for them. 

The students also participated in an earthquake drill as part of the “2015 Great Northeast Shakeout” which takes place across the country each year during September. 

School bus evacuation drill held at Seymour Middle School.

Throughout September Kearns, Seymour Fire Marshal Tim Wills, Seymour Police Department Commander John D’Antona, Seymour Police School Resource Officers Harkins and Tomasella, as well as other first responders conducted fire drills and other emergency response drills district-wide with all students K-12. 

All Star Transportation Safety Supervisor Brenda Bass and school bus safety team members also joined Kearns and Seymour Police Officers in conducting school bus evacuation drills for all Elementary and Middle school students in the district who ride the bus to school. 

All of these programs and drills are part of a continuous effort by Seymour Public Schools and Seymour Emergency Services Personnel working together to better prepare our schools and families in the event an emergency were to occur and to help make our schools a safer place.



This is a press release from Rich Kearns, Director of Security, Seymour Public Schools.

Crisco announces scholarship awards for area students

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph Crisco Jr., D-Woodbridge, announced today that 1,087 Governor’s Scholarship Program awards valued at $2,414,972 were made last year to students living in Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Hamden, Naugatuck and Woodbridge – every town in Crisco’s 17th District.

That’s an average award of $2,200 – money that parents don’t have to give to their child, or that a student doesn’t have to borrow from a bank and re-pay with interest.

“With the rising cost of higher education, parents and students are turning to a variety of sources to fund their advanced education, and I am proud to say that for more than 1,000 bright, young kids in the Valley, that funding source includes the State of Connecticut,” Crisco said. 

State Sen. Joseph Crisco

“I am proud of every single student who met the stringent qualifications for these competitive awards, and I wish them the best of success in college and beyond.”

Statewide, a total of 20,300 awards were made last year to Connecticut students totaling over $43 million. The student financial awards are funded through the state budget and are part of the Governor’s Scholarship Program, which began in 2013.
The goal of the Governor’s Scholarship Program is to give every college student living in Connecticut a fair chance at affording a college education. 

In doing so, the award dollars are the same no matter what school they choose to attend in Connecticut, so that students at both public and private institutions are treated the same.

The Governor’s Scholarship Program is divided into three categories: merit-based, need-based, and academic incentive awards.

· Merit-based awards are offered to any Connecticut resident who is a high school senior or graduate with a high school junior year class rank of 20% or better and/or SAT scores of at least 1800 or ACT score of at least 27. The recipient must attend a state public or non-profit private college. They are eligible for up to $5,000 a year for full-time attendance in a four-year program of study; up to $3,500 a year for full-time attendance in a two-year program of study.

· Need-Based Awards of up to $3,000 for full-time study in a two- or four-year program of study are offered to any Connecticut resident who attends a Connecticut public or non-profit private college. The recipient must have a federal Expected Family Contribution (EFC) within the allowable range (the EFC is based on a family’s taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits such as unemployment or Social Security.)

Academic Incentive Awards are for any Connecticut resident who has completed 30 or more credits in the prior year; has received a Governor's Scholarship Need-Based Award in the prior year; and has a GPA equal to or greater than the required minimum. For the 2014-15 academic year, the award was $1,200 for students with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and $1,000 for students with a GPA between 3.0 and 3.49.



This is a press release from Crisco's office.

6th annual Pinktoberfest slated in Ansonia

ANSONIA - The sixth annual Pinktoberfest, sponsored by Young Emerging Professionals, is one of many Valley Goes Pink fundraisers for the Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness at Griffin Hospital in Derby.

It will be held from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 8 at Molto Bene Italian American Kitchen, 557 Wakelee Ave. The cost is $40 a person.

The fun includes music, food, beer tastings, games, giveaways, and more, all for a great cause.

The Young Emerging Professionals group is part of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce. 

To date this event has raised more than $12,000 to support the breast wellness center.

* Information shared from the event's Facebook page.

Spooner House in Shelton offers daily challenge

Derby to distribute 60 smoke detectors to eligible residents

Fire prevention week starts Oct. 4

Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto and Derby firefighters attend recent 'Operation Save a Life' event at the New Haven Fire Training Academy. / Submitted photo

DERBY – Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto and members of the Derby Fire Department recently attended a seminar and demonstration of smoke detectors at the New Haven Fire Training Academy.

The Home Depot, Connecticut Burn Center, Kidde Fire Safety Products, and News 8 sponsored the event, called “Operation Save a Life”.

“Unfortunately, our city has experienced devastating fires over the years. Because of this, we are motivated even more to help protect the safety of our residents,” Dugatto said.

Derby was one of 70 fire departments participating in the program, which netted the city 60 free Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. 
The detectors will be distributed to eligible Derby residents during Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 4-10.

Further details on the smoke and carbon monoxide detector give-a-way will be posted on Derby’s municipal website, www.derbyct.gov, as they become available.


This is a press release from Mayor Anita Dugatto's office.

Celebrate Autumn Oct. 17 at the Ansonia Nature Center

A festival filled with family fun!

Shelton fire department, Red Cross partner on safety campaign

American Red Cross volunteer Jesus Emilio Serna recently installs a smoke detector in a Fairchild Park home in Shelton. / Submitted photo

SHELTON - The Shelton Fire Department, Office of Fire Marshal, and Fire Prevention Bureau in partnership with the New Haven Area Chapter of the American Red Cross recently conducted door-to-door fire safety awareness campaign which included the installation of free smoke alarms. 

The effort focused on residents of the Fairchild and Sunnyside mobile home parks located in Shelton. 
Over 130 homes were visited by volunteer firefighters of the Shelton Fire Department consisting of Echo Hose Hook & Ladder Company No. 1, Huntington Fire Company No. 3, Pine Rock Park Volunteer Fire Company No. 4, and White Hills Voluntary Fire Company No. 5 along with volunteers from the American Red Cross. 
Fran Jones, Chief of Shelton Fire Department said, "The department is grateful for the smoke alarms provided and the time given by the committed volunteers from the ARC.”

While firefighters provided residents with fire safety brochures, volunteers from the American Red Cross installed new smoke alarms in several homes. ARC volunteers also distributed information on emergency planning. 
Ted Pisciotta, Assistant Chief – Fire Prevention said, “Smoke alarms save lives by providing early warning and time for occupants to quickly escape.” 
This program was conducted through a nationwide effort by the American Red Cross to assist local communities in fire prevention, awareness, and safety. 
Firefighters last responded to a mobile home fire in Sunnyside Park on June 17, 2014.

Anyone who is in need of installing a smoke alarm and may need assistance should contact the Shelton Fire Marshal’s Office at 203-924-1555, ext. 1340.

Always have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. 
Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan.

For additional information on fire safety, visit the Shelton Fire Prevention Bureau at: www.cityofshelton.org under “Public Safety.”


This is a press release from Ted Pisciotta, Assistant Chief, Fire Prevention, City of Shelton.