Fire Factor sizzling experience on safety, survival

By Campbell Massie

Published Sept. 21, 2007

Lowry Mall felt some extra heat Wednesday when firefighters from the Columbia Fire Department gathered to promote fire safety as part of Fire Factor 2007.

Enticing students with free T-shirts, pizza and the opportunity to play with fire, the program was designed to promote fire prevention among students and others in the Columbia community, Assistant Fire Marshal Debbie Sorrell said.

"We try to do fun things every year to make college students think about fire safety," she said.

Events included learning to use a fire extinguisher by dousing a small fire, riding in a bucket truck and participating in the firefighter's challenge.

The challenge is an activity that mimics part the hiring process for the fire department. Participants donned the heavy gear of a firefighter, carried a hose across a platform, carried medical boxes around a corner and finished by dragging a 160-pound dummy.

Hairong Greenwell, an MU staff member who completed the course in 3-inch heels, saw the course as a learning opportunity.

"I feel like it's a good way to know some survival tips," she said.

Participants of Fire Factor could also learn to prevent a virtual fire in a video game originally designed by MU students that was improved this year with the help of a grant, Sorrell said.

The video game shows rooms that have fire hazards that need to be fixed by participants. If the room is not properly inspected, it will catch fire. Participants went through the game to remove all potential hazards with firefighters standing by to give guidance or to explain why certain things caused a fire.

Now in its sixth year, the program was founded partly in response to the death of MU student Dominic Passantino during a fire in 1999 at the Sigma Chi fraternity house, Sorrell said. A documentary called "Dominic's Story," which tells the story of his death, played next to artifacts salvaged from real fire.

Fire Factor is also a good public relations opportunity for firefighters to get out of the station and into the public, Sorrell said.

"It gives students, faculty and staff an opportunity to participate in a lot of fire prevention activities that shows working with firefighters in a non-stressful environment," said David Dorth, a safety representative in the department of environmental health and safety.

Fire Factor was meant to give all those who participated an awareness of fire safety and prevention and also to serve as a reminder of the difficult job that firefighters perform.

"It's a fun way to be aware of our police and firemen, because sometimes our society doesn't value them as much as we should," MU freshman Janie Gibson said.

On Sept. 29, students will be given another chance at the Firefighter's Challenge on Stankowski Field at an event called Fire Attack. Teams will be able to go through an obstacle course for prizes. There will also be free pizza, inflatables and games for those who cannot stand the heat of the competition.