Junior Fire Marshal program now at Suncoast Community Center
A children’s program will be launched soon at the Suncoast Community Center.
The Junior Fire Marshall program is a fun way to teach children about fire safety, said instructor James Gillespie.
“I’ll be assisted by the chairman of The Suncoast Task Force, Billy Shrede, and we got an endorsement from our new fire chief, Chris Noble,” he said.
“The group will be started in honor of the late Capt. Daryl Burton of the fire department,” he said.
Burton was well known for teaching fire safety to area children. It is not a new program for Suncoast.
“We actually sponsored it back in the 1960s, my dad started it. It faded out in the ’80s, but now it’s back,” he said.
Gillespie is an insurance agent and has worked with Hartford Insurance, who sponsors the program.
“I sent them photos and told them what the program used to be,” he said.
Now there are fire hats, badges and medals and materials for the children.
Thirty-four children are now signed up and they are looking to formally launch the group the first week of October.
“The second week of October is National Fire Prevention Week,” he said.
They are still firming up meeting dates and times.
“We will probably meet once a month on the same date of the sheriff’s archery club that meets here now,” he said.
Suncoast Community Center is located at 2241 Case Lane in North Fort Myers. For information, call 731-9838.