State Fire Marshal Announces Results of Fire Prevention Video Contest

NASHVILLE –The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) announces today the winners of its inaugural Fire Prevention Video Contest. The Roberts family from Kingsport and the Memphis Fire Department were selected as the prize winners for the contest, which challenged Tennesseans to create a video illustrating themes found in one or both of the SFMO’s new fire safety jingles.

“We put Tennesseans’ creative skills to the test and were highly impressed with the outcome from across the state,” said State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “The creativity, hard work, and good humor on display in all 10 entries made for a difficult decision. We congratulate the winners and thank all of our entrants for helping raise awareness of fire safety in Tennessee and beyond.”

The announcement of the video contest winners comes during Fire Prevention Week, a nationwide educational campaign by the National Fire Protection Association which is supported by the SFMO.  This year’s theme of “Don’t Wait: Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years” focuses consumer attention on smoke alarm replacement.

Philip Roberts and his family (Kingsport) took home first place for their video entry in which a father is schooled by his kids on the proper response to a home fire. The Roberts family will receive a $500 prize check donated by Kidde.

The Memphis Fire Department (MFD) was selected as second place for their entry which also highlighted the need to get outside quickly in the event of a fire. MFD enlisted several local children, a friendly dalmatian, and Fire Director Gina Sweat to star in their video. MFD will be awarded a Kidde RemoteLync Home Monitoring Device and a Kidde RemoteLync Wi-Fi Camera, both donated by Kidde.

The contest, which kicked off on July 1, 2016, was open to all Tennessee residents, including both individuals and groups. Entries were judged on their effectiveness in highlighting and accurately presenting safety tips; the creativity and originality of the content selection and presentation; and the potential of public appeal and interest.

The fire safety jingles featured in the entries were written specifically for the SFMO’s promotion by Emmy®-award winning Farmer Jason, veteran producer Brad Jones, and Addy-award winning songwriter Michael Visconti.

To view all of the SFMO’s Fire Prevention Video Contest entries, visit our page at https://tn.gov/commerce/article/SFMO-Video-Contest.

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