NORTON — Chief Shawn Simmons is pleased to announce that Firefighter Kelsey Bisio has been honored as a 2022 Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year finalist.
Firefighter Bisio was one of 12 finalists throughout the state to be honored as a 2022 Fire and Life Safety Educator of the Year finalist at the 27th annual Massachusetts Fire & Life Safety Education Conference.
Firefighter Bisio has been a member of the Norton Fire Department for the past four-and-a-half years. Prior to joining Norton, she served at another fire department for three-and-a-half years.
About a year ago, Firefighter Bisio assumed the role of Safety Coordinator in which she is responsible for overseeing the Safe & Senior Safe program. In this role, she’s worked with local teachers to institute a rewards program that includes lunch with a firefighter, rides to school in the fire truck and recess time with firefighters. She is currently assisting middle school special education teacher Jen Sullivan with developing a new fire safety curriculum for special education students.
Firefighter Bisio also works with the local Council on Aging to deliver five-gallon buckets of sand to elderly residents for their walkways during the winter. Under her supervision, the Norton Fire Department has also teamed up with local schools to develop a program where students will shovel elderly neighbors’ walkways and tweet pictures of their work.
“Upon her taking over the Safe & Senior Safe program, Firefighter Bisio embraced her new role and has had an immediate, positive impact on our community,” Chief Simmons said. “She has brought our program to the next level with her innovative ideas that have gotten those who may have not had much interaction with our department before interacting with us on a regular basis now. I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor and on behalf of the department I congratulate her on everything she’s accomplished so far.”
An award ceremony concluded the two-day conference. Chief Simmons, Deputy Chief Jason Robbins and Lt. Joshua Jorge were in attendance supporting Firefighter Bisio at the ceremony.
The conference featured 40 hours of workshops that covered topics from safety for older adults to identifying potential active shooter threats. Attendees heard from featured speakers including Capt. Brian Tyson of the Barnstable Fire Department; Karla Klas, who manages the University of Michigan Trauma Burn Center’s prevention programs; and Jessica Sondgeroth, Community Risk Reduction outreach program coordinator for South Carolina State Fire.
The Massachusetts Fire & Life Safety Education Conference brings fire educators, prevention officers, teachers, care specialists, and others together to share knowledge, build partnerships, and recognize the Fire & Life Safety Educator of the Year. This year’s conference was held at the Southbridge Hotel & Conference Center in Southbridge.
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