FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, May 23, 2016

 

 Students Learn Lifelong Lessons about Fire Safety for Annual Competition

TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Division of Fire Safety today announced that middle school students from the Nicholas Oresko School in Bayonne, NJ have been crowned the 2016 Fire Information and Rescue Education (F.I.R.E) Bowl champions. The annual middle school competition held on Friday, May 20, 2016 at Kean University, challenged students from across New Jersey on their knowledge of fire prevention and safety in a way that not only tests that knowledge, but imparts it to both them, their parents, teachers and school administrators as well.

“The F.I.R.E. Bowl addresses the critical need to educate our youngsters and their parents on fire safety and prevention,” said William Kramer, Jr. Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety and State Fire Marshal. “The students immerse themselves in what firefighters and EMTs have to know, along with basic fire safety concepts, which play out in a fun and exciting scholastic competition setting. We can proudly say that no F.I.R.E. Bowl contestant has ever lost.”

Students under the guidance of their faculty coaches begin their studies well in advance of the final and it’s those preliminary rounds that determine who ultimately will wear the F.I.R.E. Bowl state champion crown. All participants are on hand for the competitive final at Kean, which is hosted by News 12 New Jersey personality Tony Caputo.

The New Jersey Division of Fire Safety F.I.R.E. Bowl has been a critical part of the Division’s community risk reduction efforts for more than ten years, directing important fire safety information to middle school age students who are often overlooked as receptive to personal safety messages. The effort has received the endorsement of the National Association of State Fire Marshals and has achieved the distinction in the Federal Emergency Management 2015 Individual and Community Achievement “Community Preparedness Heroes” Awards.

The New Jersey State Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association, the Joshua Marcus Group, IMTT-Bayonne, and Hartz Mountain Corporation of Secaucus were the sponsors of this year’s event.

The Division of Fire Safety serves as the central fire service agency in the State. The Division is responsible for the development and enforcement of the State Uniform Fire Code, as well as engaging the public on community risk reduction strategies, assisting in fire department preparedness and conducting firefighter training programs.

 

2016 Fire Information and Rescue Education (F.I.R.E) Bowl Champions

 

Nicholas Oresko School

(Bayonne, NJ)

 

Team Members:

 

Afran Ali, Yash Parikk

Teodulfo Reyes, Matthew Rezek  

 

 

Teams that competed for the State Championship on May 20th

 

Individual Awards:

3rd Place Individual Awards

 

Klara Eid                                  Kaya Whitehead

Midtown Community School               Belleville Middle School

(Bayonne, NJ)                               (Belleville, NJ)

  (Score: 55)                                    (Score: 53)

 

2nd Place Individual Awards

Andrew Nilsson                        Jada Phillips

Avenel Middle School                Horace Mann School

(Avenel, NJ)                              (Bayonne, NJ)

     (Score: 59)                                  (Score: 58)

 

1st Place Individual Awards

Matthew Rezek                            Tyler Amalfa

       Nicholas Oresko School            Dwight D. Eisenhower School

                                            (Bayonne, NJ)                         ( Freehold, NJ)

                                            (Score: 68)                                     (Score: 61)

 

Team Awards:

3rd Place Team Awards

 

      Colonia Middle School                     Helen Fort/Newcomb Middle School

(Colonia, NJ)                                          (Pemberton, NJ)

Julie Liddawi, Ahnaf Zaman,                    Brody Peffley, Elaina Hurlbert

        Trisha Valeriano, Olivia Fasulo                   Jalyn Austin, Julieanni Sweet

         (Score: 62)                                                  (Score: 61)

 

2nd Place Team Awards

 

Dwight D. Eisenhower School                         John M. Bailey School

(Freehold, NJ)                                                   (Bayonne, NJ)

Joshua Leonetti, Cameron Stokes                      Michael Amin, Rebecca Job

Joseph Schandall, Tyler Amalfa                         Kiara Opoku, Elijah Ortiz

       (Score: 62) wins tie-break over Colonia 61-46       (Score: 62) wins tie-break over Colonia 50-46

 

1st Place Team Awards

 

Dwight D. Eisenhower School                         Nicholas Oresko School

(Freehold, NJ)                                                   (Bayonne, NJ)

Hannah Zwirn, Matthew Laemmle                        Afran Ali, Yash Parikk

      Bryan Cleary, Christian Bello                 Teodulfo Reyes, Matthew Rezek

(Score: 65)                                                        (Score: 64)

CONTACT:
Tammori Petty
Emike Omogbai
(609) 292-6055