New web resource from emergency services can help Hemel pupils save lives through education

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is supporting the release of a free learning platform aimed at pupils aged three to 18.

StayWise brings together the educational resources of the emergency services and links them to the national curriculum.

That means pupils can learn about fire safety in a maths or science lesson or write escape plan instructions or information on how to keep safe in their community as part of an English lesson.

The site offers free lesson plans, videos, and activity sheets to help educators teach young people potentially lifesaving advice within core curriculum subjects.

With many parents and individuals home-schooling due to the pandemic, there are plenty of useful resources available to mums and dads, or those supporting young people to learn.

Teachers can also set work from the site as part of a remote learning plan for parents and carers to follow.

Steve Holton, Area Commander for Prevention at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “As a fire and rescue service, we are committed to keeping our communities safe. StayWise is a fantastic new resource for everyone to use.

"Offering teachers, parents and the emergency services consistent and effective educational materials to help young people learn about a range of safety topics is even more critical when so many of us are isolated and need to make positive decisions in our day-to-day lives to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.”

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) leads on the partnership behind StayWise.

Partners include the Royal Life Saving Society, the RNLI, HM Coastguard, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, the National Police Chiefs Council and the Injury Minimisation Programme for Schools.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Deputy Chief Fire Officer Chris Bigland is also the NFCC’s Lead for Education, and StayWise Programme Director.

He said: “StayWise is committed to saving lives through education. By working together with our partners, we have produced a consistent learning resource that educators from across the community can use with confidence, whether they’re teachers, home-schooling parents, or emergency service staff and volunteers.

“We have released the site early to support home learning for three to 11-year olds, but we’ll be expanding the resources available for older age groups in the coming months.”

The StayWise website is easy to use – just select an age group, subject, or theme, and you will find a collection of resources to keep students busy.