Poster contest winners announced

#MiddleburyCT #MVFD #FirePrevention

Back, left to right, Acting Fire Marshal Brian Proulx and Fire Chief Brett Kales. Front, left to right, poster contest winners Kendal Pettit, Abbey Moon, Marina Marucci, and Julia Madrak. (Submitted photo)

The Middlebury Fire Marshal’s Office announced the winners of the 2022-23 State of Connecticut Fire Prevention Poster Contest. The two first place winners are Abbey Moon, a fifth grader at Middlebury Elementary School (MES), and Marina Marucci, a fourth grader at MES. The two second place winners are Kendal Pettit, a fifth grader at Long Meadow Elementary School (LMES), and Julia Madrak, a fourth grader at MES.

Acting Fire Marshal Brian E. Proulx presented the winners with cash prizes donated by the Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department. Middlebury Fire Chief Brett Kales welcomed the winners and their families to Fire Headquarters December 12 and congratulated the winners for their hard work and artistic talents.

Over 230 posters were submitted for judging from fourth and fifth grade students in both Middlebury elementary schools. Proulx said, “A huge thank you to Region 15, Principal Pellicone (MES), Principal Wermuth (LMES), teachers, and especially the students for their creative thinking and participation. Additional thanks to firefighters Mike Proulx and Dave Sanchez for judging the posters this year.”

Fire remains a leading cause of death and injury in the United States. Statistics show that every 2½ hours a life is lost in a house fire while thousands more are injured due to fire annually. Children are often victims of residential fires, most of which occur at night. Through fire prevention education and community participation, fire can be, and more importantly will be prevented. Children have a unique ability to retain the fire safety message and typically put what they learn into practice within their home and self-promote fire prevention with their loved ones.

The annual contest sponsored by the State of Connecticut Office of State Fire Marshal, State of Connecticut Fire Marshal’s Association, State of Connecticut Public Fire Education Association, and the Connecticut FAIR Plan attracts thousands of contestants from throughout the state. The theme, Fire Prevention Everyone/Everyday, encourages students to create their own unique artistic and colorful fire safety message and convey it in the form of a poster.

First place winners from each participating town advance to the county level. Four county winners will be selected, two fourth graders and two fifth graders, and they will advance to a statewide contest. One poster will be selected as the state winner and win a cash prize and a grant for their school. The winning poster will become Connecticut’s official Fire Prevention Poster and be on display at the State Capital building during October in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Month. The State winner is expected to be announced in March 2023.