Jacob Adler (middle) and his two friends, Eli Birnbaum (right) and Josh Resnick – seniors at Cherry Hill High School East – began a home fire-safety initiative born out of a tragic accident. When Adler was a freshman, his home burned down. He was the only there at the time.
For Jacob Adler, it was quick thinking that got him safely out of his home when it went up in flames four years ago.
“I was in the shower,” Adler recalled. “I heard the fire alarms. My mom was outside at the time walking the dogs. When she was coming back, she was screaming outside. I heard her screaming.
“All I did was run outside with a towel. I didn’t even have my phone.”
The impact of that event led Adler and his two friends, Eli Birnbaum and Josh Resnick, to promote home fire safety. For the past year, they have presented safety tips at elementary schools in Cherry Hill, including Richard Stockton on Oct. 14.
The trio are seniors at Cherry Hill High School East.
“We just really want to spread awareness about fire safety and help younger generations to prevent tragedies like this,” Adler explained.
During their 15- to 20-minute presentation, using stickers and candy, the three students emphasize how important it is for kids to know how to safely exit their own homes. The kids get to draw their home and sketch fire-escape routes.
Members of the township fire department are on hand to provide additional tips, answer questions, and let the kids tour a fire truck.
“In school, you don’t learn about home fires, you learn about school fires with the fire drills,” Resnick reasoned. “Nobody teaches you what to do if you are in a fire. It’s kind of assumed that you know what to do.”
Through their research, the seniors have learned it’s important not to try to prevent or stop a fire.
“You want to get out,” Birnbaum advised.
“Like I did,” Adler added, noting the front door of his family home was completely engulfed, so he had to exit out from the side of his home.
As in school, it’s important for children and their families to practice fire drills at home, Birnbaum emphasized. As part of their initiative, the trio also partners with the American Red Cross to hold a clothing drive.
“Last year, we raised about $3,000 worth of clothing,” Birnbaum reported, “and collected about 300 articles of clothing. All proceeds go to the American Red Cross.”
As they go on to college next year, the friends hope to pass down their fire-safety initiative to other local students to continue what they’ve started.
For more information, email firesafetyinitiative@gmail.com and visit the Instagram page @firesafetyinitiative.
