U of I Fire Factor

CHAMPAIGN -  It's not your everyday fire safety class, but some U of I students got to spend some time as a firefighter Saturday in Champaign, in hopes of learning how to prevent a fire from happening. Fire Factor 2007 gives U of I House Leaders hands on experience in a real fire. They can then take what they learn back to their residents to help practice better fire prevention. "We're out here showing them hazards, showing them what it's like to be a firefighter to remind them of the real hazards that they can encounter. so they can be safe and take that information back to everyone in their home," said Urbana Fire Division Chief, Tony Foster. U of I House Leader, Lindsay Kessler said she didn't realize she would have to gear up and rush into a burning building going into the event, but she said she is glad she did it. "All of the little things they're saying really do matter and they could add up to something bigger and it's nice to take preventative steps instead of waiting for them to happen." Organizers say that's the message they want to get across. They want the students to realize the dangers of things like smoking in a room, leaving candles burning, or blocking an exit, all simple things that could spell disaster in crowded student housing. After three years and countless students, Foster said they are seeing the results. "When we go back out to the houses we see that these things are physically being done... and we can see that these student leaders are taking this information back."