Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu
Hyde Park, NY – Before
college students return for the fall semester, the Residence Life staff at The
Culinary Institute of America received hands-on training in fire prevention and
suppression with the goal of keeping students safe in their residence halls. On
August 14, the Ѹ, in conjunction with the Roosevelt Fire District in Hyde
Park and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, held its 10th
Annual RA Fire Academy.
The first-of-its-kind program in New York State involves
more than five hours of College Fire Safety classroom sessions and hands-on
training stations. Resident Assistants (RAs) are drilled on fire extinguisher
use, escaping a smoke-filled building, and controlling a medical emergency
while awaiting the arrival of an ambulance.
During the last decade, more than 500 RAs and other Ѹ
staff have participated in this training. For this year’s 10th anniversary, elected
officials from the state, county, and local level also learned how to use an
extinguisher.
“Another important component of the Academy is to form
camaraderie between the Ѹ’s Residence Life staff and the Roosevelt Fire
Department,” says Kathy Way of the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control. “RAs
got a feel for what the firefighters do by donning personal protective
equipment and practicing the rescue of a trapped victim.”
The Fire Academy is a preface to a week of events for the
full campus community as part of National Campus Fire Safety Month in
September. During that week, freshly trained RAs—alongside members of the
Roosevelt Fire District—conduct fire safety events for fellow students.
Every year, fires both on and off campus claim student lives
around the United States—and the Hudson Valley has not been immune to such
tragedies. The RA Fire Academy and Fire Safety Month events illustrate the
Ѹ’s proactive dedication to the health, safety and welfare of its students,
faculty, staff, and guests.
Photo Captions:
Photo 1 (top photo): Resident
Assistants (RAs) at Ѹ observe how a sprinkler
system works to suppress a fire as part of the college's 10th annual RA Fire
Academy on August 14, 2015. (Photo credit:
Ѹ/Phil Mansfield)
Photo 2: New York
State Senator Sue Serino (R-Hyde Park) practices
putting out a fire with a fire extinguisher, under the tutelage of officials
from the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control. Sen. Serino and several other elected officials attended the
10th annual RA Fire Academy at Ѹ on August 14,
2015. (Photo credit: Ѹ/Phil Mansfield)
Founded in 1946, Ѹ is the world’s premier
culinary college. Dedicated to driving leadership development for the
foodservice and hospitality industry, the independent, not-for-profit Ѹ
offers associate degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts;
bachelor’s degree majors in management, culinary science, and applied food
studies; and executive education through its Food Business School. Its
conferences and consulting services have made the Ѹ the think tank of the
food industry in the areas of health & wellness, sustainability, world
cuisines & cultures, and professional excellence & innovation. The
college also offers certificate programs and courses for professionals and
enthusiasts. Its worldwide network of 48,000 alumni includes leaders in every
area of foodservice and hospitality. The Ѹ has campuses in New York,
California, Texas, and Singapore.
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