Firefighter Allen Green has entered burning houses to save lives and property. Now he’s written a children’s book he’s hoping will do the same.
“Mom! Dad! What Should I Do?” teaches elementary school age children how to respond when a fire breaks out in their home. Through colorful illustrations and diverse characters, children learn how to put together a fire escape plan for their home and are encouraged to practice the plan with family members.
From staying low to avoid toxic smoke and crawling to safety to installing smoke detectors and then checking them regularly, Green’s book covers not just the ABCs of fire safety but also the X, the Y and the Z.
“Mom! Dad! What Should I Do?” is an extension of the work Green does as the fire and life safety educator for the Chattanooga Fire Department. In this role, Green visits local schools, businesses and community meetings and teaches the public not just how to prevent a fire but also how to escape safely should flames ignite.
“Allen’s lessons spark important conversations in local households and instill lifelong safety practices in young people,” says Chattanooga Fire Department public information officer Lindsey Rogers.
“Early education is critical when building the foundation of a community,” adds Green. “Changing the mindset of an adult is hard, but when you catch someone at a young age, they absorb what you teach them and then apply it as they grow older.”
Not that Green’s learners wait until they become adults to put the principles he teaches them to practice. On one occasion, Green was ordering lunch at a local fast-food restaurant when the cashier asked him if he was the one who had taught the children at her son’s school about fire safety.
When Green said yes, the woman said her son had told her the firefighter at his school had told him to leave her in the house if there’s a fire and he can’t wake her up.
“I told her he was correct,” Green recalls.
Green intended for “Mom! Dad! What Should I Do?” to supplement his presentations, many of which take place in neighborhoods in which house fires are a common occurrence, he says. The book takes his lessons a step further with games and activities that encourage the parent to interact with their child and learn about fire safety with them.
Featuring illustrations by Chattanooga artist Kenady Kitchen, “Mom! Dad! What Should I Do?” is available through Amazon’s website for $15.
Proceeds from the book will benefit Green’s nonprofit – Pain, Perseverance, Character, Hope – which serves at-risk youth.
Though written for children, “Mom! Dad! What Should I Do?” will lead to safe practices that prevent fires throughout Chattanooga, says Rogers.
“Allen’s book will have a lasting impact on everyone who reads it and ultimately save lives.”