STEP Recognition Awards Winner - 2011
On Tuesday, June 21st, James W. DiPace, an Avon Fire Marshal, was presented with the 2011 STEP Recognition Award by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security for his immense contributing role with the STEP program in Connecticut. Over 1,000 instructors, including classroom teachers, guidance, counselors, health teachers, local emergency responders, and students were considered for the STEP award this year.
Since piloting STEP three years ago in 2009, the Avon community along with DiPace has led the training in emergencies and disaster preparations of more than 600 fifth grade students this year. Preparation is nothing new to the Fire Marshall of Avon. DiPace makes learning easier to for the children while teaching kids what it truly means to be prepared before and during disasters.
Photo courtesy of Ann Marie Potter - avon.patch.com
With 38 years in the fire force, teaching children the importance of preparation is an easy task for DiPace; however, the fire marshal says he can’t take all the credit for his accomplishments with the program. DiPace says the vast majority of kids enjoyed the program because they were very interested. The kids already have a good fire prevention program through their school, and this was just another topic that hits the right kids at the right times.
Aside from the programs that were already in place to help kids learn about disasters and emergencies, DiPace also had the help of Dennis Bianchi, a retired police officer and member of the Avon Fire Police and a volunteer who did a huge amount to help with the program’s progression. Without these two and the support of Anne Watson, principal of Thompson Brooke School, and Dr. Richard Kisiel, former Avon superintendent of schools, the program would not have been successful. Everyone noticed the need for preparation of children at the age that program is taught and took action by getting everyone else interested and allowing them to go into other schools to instruct the STEP program.
DiPace enjoyed working with the STEP program and made it his own. He often stuck to the lesson plan, but strived to get the children’s input as to what the students went through to make it more applicable to their safety concerns. “They had a lot of interest because of all the snow. They keyed in on it and it was something they could relate to,” said DiPace.
The hundreds of students that received STEP training from DiPace exemplify the mission of the STEP program. For example, students are so grateful and appreciative of DiPace that his nomination for this year’s award comes from a student at the Thompson Brock School. The adults are able to see leadership in DiPace as he was also nominated by principle Anne Watson.
DiPace says, “It wasn’t just me though. The principal’s dad is a retired fire chief. The principal understands the need for preparing and learning about emergencies.”
Learning is the most important part of the world in which we live. Teaching is the key to learning. Thanks to instructors and people such as James DiPace, students and their families in Connecticut are more apt to prepare for disasters and emergencies.
