State Fire Marshal’s Office Announces 2016 Fire Prevention Poster Contest Winners

By Kevin Waters, Communication Director, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance –

The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) proudly recognizes the winning entrants in the 2016 Fire Prevention Poster Contest. Winners will be honored at an awards event on January 28, 2017 at the Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy in Bell Buckle, Tenn.

The poster contest is a longstanding annual event used by the SFMO to highlight and promote fire safety awareness throughout Tennessee schools. This year’s contest theme corresponded with the National Fire Protection Association’s Fire Prevention Week campaign: “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years.”

“We were highly impressed with the poster entries received this year,” said State Fire Marshal and Commerce & Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “The posters not only showcase the talent of our Tennessee students, but also help spread the message that outdated smoke alarms may not function properly and should be replaced. We thank all of the participating students, schools, and fire departments for supporting this annual safety initiative.”

Starting in August, Tennessee students in grades ranging from kindergarten through high school began creating art posters to illustrate the importance of working smoke alarms. Local fire departments sponsored the contest in schools from their districts and judged a winner from each grade. The local winners were then sent to the SFMO for final judging in Nashville. Over 125 poster entries were received this year. The winners were selected by a panel of experts who generously volunteered their time: Robert Hughes (Murals & More); Justin Makemson (Belmont University); and Dani Brown (Tennessee Arts Commission).

At the awards ceremony, the poster contest winners will each receive a $50 prize check and a certificate of achievement signed by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.

Pictures of the winning entries can be found on the TDCI Flickr page.