Magician brings fire safety message

1:30pm Friday 16th February 2007

Youngsters are to get special lessons in fire safety from a magician.

Award-winning American magician Al Belmont will tour schools in West Sussex from February 27, teaching children how to prevent fires and burns and what to do in a fire.

Mr Belmont, a former teacher, said: "Magic can be used to get across all sorts of things. It is an effective attention-getter. If the tricks are selected properly, you can meld magic with a message children won't easily forget."

Kathy John, West Sussex County Council Fire and Rescue Service's arson reduction manager, booked Mr Belmont after she saw the show at an international conference.

She said: "Al uses an interactive approach to help children learn how to collect themselves in order to use 999 effectively in an emergency, stop, drop and roll if they find themselves on fire, be safe in the kitchen and conduct a fire drill at home, including planning two safe exits from every area of their home."

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