Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 02/07/2012 16:35

More than 7,000 under fives across Cornwall have learned more about fire safety since the launch of Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service’s (CFRS) successful elfs educational package in 2008.

Aimed at adults working with children aged between two and five years old, elfs – early learning fire safety – features seven characters which each focus on an aspect of fire or road safety.

CFRS developed elfs to support pre schools, nurseries, primary schools, children’s centres and child minders in delivering the Early Years Foundation Stages (EYFS) framework.

The resource, which is available to loan from CFRS, takes the form of a large colourful box, shaped like a fire engine and containing fire and rescue dressing up clothes, games, jigsaws and books.

Behind the fun and games there are serious messages with each of elfs’ seven strong crew of firefighters from ‘Blue Watch, Kernoweth Fire and Rescue Service’, based in ‘Kernoweth Town’, focusing on a specific safety message.

Now CFRS is hoping to spread the message further having gained funding from the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership for 500 ‘elfs’ books. Nurseries, pre schools, primary schools, children’s centres and child minders can register for a free copy with CFRS.

“Our belief is that you are never too young to start learning how to stay safe,” said Group Manager Mark Blatchford, from CFRS’s Prevention Team. “Feedback from educators has been very positive and the package has now been adopted by the South West’s five other fire and rescue services who are now piloting the resource in their areas.”

“Our children at Little Acorns Nursery had great fun with the elfs pack during our Child Safety Week,” said Kerry Corner from Little Acorns Nursery in Camelford. “They loved dressing up as firefighters, playing snap with the elfs cards and especially pressing the smoke alarm, it’s still ringing in our ears! A great resource for a range of ages.”

“We really enjoyed the whole toolkit, it has very good resources and all our children loved it,” said Tracey Griffiths, from Curlews Pre-School at Cubert Primary School.

“What a fantastic resource with everything you need to support children’s understanding of fire safety and what the fire service does,” said Judy Nicholas from Helston Children’s Centre.

“We enjoyed using the elfs resource box and used it in our role play area as an ongoing activity,” said Diane Bateman from Gulval Little Learners.

Early years educators can register for a free copy of the ‘elfs’ book by visiting www.cornwall.gov.uk/elfsbook or calling 01208 72087 by Friday 20 July.

For more information about booking the ‘elfs’ package visit www.cornwall.gov.uk/elfsbookings or call 01208 72087. You can also read more about elfs on Facebook – www.facebook.com/elfsInCornwall

Related item: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=31692