Tulsa World: Firefighters, dalmations teach students safety

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Firefighters, dalmations teach students safety

Angelica Riggins, 6, poses with Sparkles, a dalmatian from the Arkansas-based Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation, and the dog's trainer, Dayna Hilton from the Johnson County (Ark.) Rural Fire District, after a fire-safety presentation Tuesday morning at Tulsa's Celia Clinton Elementary School. Angelica's home caught fire about a year ago, and she used lessons from an earlier demonstration to escape safely. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World

By MATT BARNARD World Staff Writer
Published: 11/24/2009 3:37 PM
Last Modified: 11/24/2009 11:02 PM

Paying attention in class may have saved Angelica Riggins’ life.

Lessons from a fire-safety demonstration must have stuck for the Celia Clinton Elementary School student, who escaped from her burning house last year — when she was only 5 — after watching a safety presentation by Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog.

The message was brought back to the school Tuesday, complete with a pair of dalmatians, firefighters and a fire truck. Angelica’s story anchored the program at the school, at 1740 N. Harvard Ave., and served as a reminder that fires can break out anywhere, Principal Tanya Davis said.

Angelica, now 6, was asleep and woke up during the night as smoke filled her house. She remembered to stay under the fumes and ran to a neighbor’s house for help when she couldn’t rouse her father, she said. He was rescued from the blaze, which damaged much of the home.

“It smelled like something was burning,” she said. “He opened the door, and the fire splatted out at him — but he’s fine. The burn went away.”

Davis said Angelica’s situation is a reality for many Celia Clinton students because they live in homes that are at greater risk than newer houses of catching fire. The children come from working-class families that rely on space heaters in homes with aging electrical wiring, she said.

Those hazards, combined with parents who are away from home while they are working, underscore the importance of fire safety, she said. Bringing in dogs and firefighters helps relay the message.

The Rotary Club of Tulsa hosted the event, which featured Sparkles, a dalmatian who wore a miniature fire helmet and bright red painted toenails. Her partner, Tango, showed the youngsters how to crawl along the floor to avoid toxic smoke.

“Animals have such a calming effect on children,” Davis said. “They see Tango or Sparkles ‘get low and go,’ and that really helps them make a connection.”

The link was apparent as giggles rolled through the school gym when the animals walked inside. The dogs have become celebrities of sorts touring the country for the Arkansas-based Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation, said trainer Dayna Hilton, who is also a firefighter.

After the laughter died down, firefighter Matt Weeks donned a set of bunker gear and told students what to expect if their home catches fire.

“This is what we look like,” he told the youngsters. “When you see a firefighter come into your house, don’t be scared.”

The firefighters also reminded the children to develop an escape plan with their families and designate a meeting place to gather during a blaze. By MATT BARNARD World Staff Writer

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Reader comments for this story have been moved to the most updated version of the story, now under the headline "Fire lesson learned," which was published on 11/25/2009. So far, 10 comments have been made.