'The children still love it': Education program returns to its roots

Students at St Thomas More's Catholic School played host to guests from the Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) for a very special instalment of the School Fire Education Program.

Rob Patterson, who kicked off the statewide program at the school in 1994, said it was great to see the program still going strong after 30 years.

"The children still love it," Mr Patterson said.

"They are learning so much from firefighters who have got the passion to get very important messages across to the community."

The program is designed for primary school students and offered to all schools statewide.

Students learn about basic fire safety including the mantras "get down low and go, go, go", and "stop, drop and roll".

Mr Patterson said even as early as six weeks after the program began he was getting positive feedback, with reports children had taken the messages to heart.

He said he was inspired to start the education program as a professional firefighter when he was "sitting there waiting for a fire to come to me", and attributed the program's success to its hosts - active-duty firefighters.

"They've experienced everything that they're talking about. It's firsthand knowledge," he said.

"And, what child doesn't want to be a firefighter?

"To have real firefighters presenting this, it's just inspiring and the messages get through a lot quicker and a lot clearer."

TFS Acting Chief Officer Jeremy Smith there was no sign of the program slowing down.

"The school education program is part of our initiatives around community fire safety," he said.

"It's the building blocks for primary school children throughout the state.

"Obviously, over the last 30 years we've continued to build on such a wonderful program. The feedback we get from the participants, from the teachers, from the parents and the greater community is just all positive."