“About 25 years ago a second grade teacher, Alma Makarat, and a Bloomington Township firefighter, Eleanor Lahr, began teaching Fire Prevention to the children at Lakeview School. After two years the program was taken over by Dallas Smith, a Perry-Clear Creek firefighter who expanded the program to include the Clear Creek and Broadview schools. He maintained this program until 1990.  

    The material used in this program came from the National Fire Protection Association who started the program because of the large number of children setting fires and dying in these fires. NFPA targeted the program for Preschool, Kindergarten, first, second and third graders. PCCFD expanded the program to fourth, fifth and sixth graders.  

    Ever since the inception of this program we have seen a decrease in structural fires and feel that the program and smoke detectors deserve much of the credit. With the aid of our two State Representatives, our State Senator, the Monroe County Commissioners, and the Monroe County Firefighters Association, a $40,000 grant from the Build Indiana Fund was received to purchase a Fire Safety Smoke House. This has greatly improved our hands-on training for the youth of Monroe County. The trailer teaches how to escape outside by crawling under smoke, how to survive a tornado, how to make the right call and how to escape through windows. Approximately 3000 people have received this training in Perry and Clear Creek Townships. The department participated in the Harrodsburg Heritage Days and we demonstrated the county Fire Safety Trailer at this event. This trailer was also used at the Learn Not To Burn classes at the Lighthouse Christian Academy.  

    The Perry-Clear Creek Fire Department has received complimentary letters and recognition from the National Fire Protection Association, State and County Officials, State Fire Chiefs Association, State Fire Inspectors Association, School Principals, Wonder Lab, The Bloomington Volunteer Network, Parents and Grandparents. Through this program we reach approximately 1000 families each year.”  

George Rusnak / Fire Prevention and Inspection.