News — Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation

Jul
29
7:30 PM19:30

Rastak Live Benefit Concert

  • Hard Rock Casino Show Theatre Vancouver (map)
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Join the Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation for a live benefit concert featuring Rastak on Saturday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30) at the Hard Rock Casino Show Theatre in Vancouver.

Rastak is one of the most well-known bands in Iranian contemporary folk music, which was formed as an experimental music group in 1997. The group seeks to collect, record, and interpret Iranian folk music for a global audience. Rastak incorporates language, culture, and history, merging traditional instruments and forms with contemporary rhythms.

This concert was organized by Fred Soofi, Reza Djahanshahi, and Azita Sahebjam to benefit the following causes:

·         Amnesty International

·         Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation

·         Jasmine School of JUSTICE – Build On

Tickets are on sale now! Purchase Tickets Here!

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JJFSF Presents at 2022 Campus Fire Forum in New Brunswick, NJ
Nov
9
11:30 AM11:30

JJFSF Presents at 2022 Campus Fire Forum in New Brunswick, NJ

  • Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

JJFSF board members Megan Clement and Tom Hayden attended the Center for Campus Fire Safety’s Campus Fire Forum in New Brunswick, NJ in November 2022. In addition to sharing our new video resources in the exhibition area, Megan also spoke on a panel about fire safety on and off campus. Many thanks to our long-time partners at CCFS for inviting us to participate! You can view the panel below:


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September is Campus Fire Safety Month!
Aug
19
1:30 PM13:30

September is Campus Fire Safety Month!

  • Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation (map)
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September is the perfect time for college students to think about fire safety. The Center for Campus Fire Safety reports that August and September have the highest occurrence of fire related fatalities in college student housing. College students are just beginning to live on their own while also being more likely to engage in high-risk behavior.

The National Fire Protection Association reports that between 2000 and 2015, 89 fires killed 126 people in on-campus and off-campus college student housing across the United States. College students studying abroad face different risks as fire safety regulations vary around the world.

The Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation equips students and educators with the tools and training to stay safe from fire-related emergencies worldwide. Our friendly guides Sparks and Snuff can help college students protect themselves and their friends from harm by sharing the basics of fire prevention.

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Nov
12
6:30 PM18:30

2019 Campus Fire Forum in Atlanta

Photo courtesy of Every Bear Goes Home

Photo courtesy of Every Bear Goes Home

Members of the Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation attended the Center for Campus Fire Safety’s Campus Fire Forum in Atlanta from November 12-15, 2019. The team was able to share the foundation’s new grant program with CCFS colleagues and learn about the latest updates in the field of campus fire safety. Every Bear Goes Home founder Kristin Tucker Tinney gave the keynote speech about her efforts to save student lives through training and prevention.

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JJFSF Awards Grants to Partner Institutions
Aug
26
2:30 PM14:30

JJFSF Awards Grants to Partner Institutions

During summer 2019, the Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation launched its first grant program to support project proposals of partner institutions that embraced our Foundation’s mission of promoting fire safety to students traveling abroad. We are proud to announce that six institutions were selected to receive funding for projects that will be implemented during the 2019-2020 academic year.

Berkeley, California Fire Department’s Every Bear Goes Home program will receive grant funding to support presentations for fraternities, sororities and campus co-ops at University of California, Berkeley to provide education on alcohol and drug education, fire and life safety, sexual assault, and situational awareness. Firefighter/paramedic and managing director of Every Bear Goes Home Kristin Tucker Tinney designs and facilitates these presentations to ensure that every UC student she encounters has a working smoke detector wherever they reside. 

Miami University in Ohio’s Global Initiatives department will receive grant support for their proposal to provide fire safety training and resources to the 600+ students who use third-party housing programs when studying abroad each year. The training will involve presentations by the Miami University Police Department and the Oxford, Ohio Fire Marshal. Director of Education Abroad Ryan Dye will provide 50 smoke detectors for students to check out during their travels and return after their semester abroad.  

Molloy College will receive grant support for their proposal to provide students studying abroad with smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to use in their residences with host families overseas. At the completion of their time abroad, the students will gift their life safety equipment to their host families along with fire prevention resources. Molloy College Fire Safety Officer William Hempstead will provide students with training to install and test their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and ensure that students are adequately prepared to share these tools with their host families.

Regis University’s Office of Global Education will receive grant support for a project that will invite students to engage in fire prevention by creating their own educational outreach toolkit to spread awareness about fire safety among their peers. Director of Study Abroad Naomi Olsen also proposed to update the legal Memoranda of Understanding for Regis’s study abroad programs to include a stipulation that the residential accommodations provided to students must address the need for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Texas Woman University’s Education Abroad Office will receive grant support to increase fire safety education for students and university staff participating in TWU faculty-led abroad courses. The program will distribute printed resource materials and fire safety equipment to education abroad participants and expand knowledge related to fire safety standards outside of the United States. TWU Education Abroad will integrate fire safety information, JJFSF resources, and best practices into required online pre-departure materials and implement an experiential learning exercise into required in-person pre-departure orientation. Director of Education Abroad Carolyn Becker will collaborate with TWU’s department of Risk Management and community education partners for in-person, practical training for university faculty and staff related to fire safety during required annual health, safety, and risk management training for employees leading abroad courses.

University of Manitoba’s Office of Risk Management and Environmental Health and Safety will receive grant support to develop an information package for students traveling abroad which will include basic fire safety information such as proper use of power bars and extension cords, charger safety for laptops and phones, space heater safety, how to test and look for smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms, and checking evacuation routes, pull stations, and fire extinguishers. Safety coordinator Caroline Gebel will also offer students fire extinguisher training through the use of a Bullex fire simulator where students can actually use an extinguisher to put out a fire.

 These project proposals serve as innovative examples of opportunities to implement the mission of the Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation and foster collaboration between education abroad programs and campus health and safety departments. There will be another opportunity to apply for grant funding at the end of 2019 and we highly encourage our partner institutions to submit proposals. For more information, contact directors@firesafetyfoundation.org.

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Florida Consortium for International Education
Oct
11
9:30 AM09:30

Florida Consortium for International Education

Board members Reza Djahanshahi and Sarah Blanc attended the Florida Consortium on International Education conference at Valencia College in Orlando. The conference provided an opportunity to network with regional contacts in the field of study abroad and international education. The team shared the importance of considering fire safety and partnering with campus healthy and safety professionals. We were able to share our mission during our one-hour session as well as during lunchtime round-table discussions on risk management. We were grateful to connect with so many dedicated professionals in Orlando!

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Forum on education Abroad in Boston, March 2018
Mar
21
9:00 AM09:00

Forum on education Abroad in Boston, March 2018

Board members Grace Flott and Megan Clement attended the Forum on Education Abroad as returning exhibitors. Over the course of three days, they were happy engage with new and old connections in study abroad while supporting the work of the Forum as sponsors. They were thrilled to report that the Foundation's educational videos were widely disseminated among attendees in the form of portable USB freebies! The response to the Foundation's message was overwhelmingly positive and attending the conference is leading to more university partnerships across the US.

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Fire Code Academy in Columbus, Ohio
Feb
27
9:30 AM09:30

Fire Code Academy in Columbus, Ohio

Board Members Sarah Blanc and Tom Hayden presented at the Fire Code Academy organized by CampusFireSafety.com. They were able to re-connect with partner organizations and meet new professionals in the field of campus fire safety. The conference was a great opportunity to showcase the important work in the field of campus fire safety and share the Foundation’s mission with dedicated professionals.

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Help Us Support Samuel "Peaches" Maxwell's Recovery After Surviving the Oakland Ghost Ship Fire
Feb
4
9:30 AM09:30

Help Us Support Samuel "Peaches" Maxwell's Recovery After Surviving the Oakland Ghost Ship Fire

Most people have already forgotten the horror of the Ghost Ship fire in Oakland last October - only a few months ago. Here is someone who hasn't.

Samuel "Peaches" Maxwell is a dear friend of one of our founding members. Please support this fellow survivor and friend of the Oakland arts community. We need Peaches along with everyone still in rehab to stand up and fight with us.


The Story from YouCaring:

Sam Maxwell - affectionately known as Peaches to his many friends - has been fighting for his life. Please help him. 

According to witnesses, Sam was the last person to leave the burning building at the Ghost Ship fire in Oakland on the night of December 2, 2016. He had the presence of mind to call friends and ask to be taken to Highlands Hospital. 36 other people were not as fortunate. He texted his parents, saying I'm alive. I'm out."

Sam was in a medical coma for four weeks, and is still in the critical care unit in the hospital. He avoided skin burns (apparently by crawling on the floor to get out), but suffered serious smoke inhalation and numerous complications. He is facing extensive physical and emotional rehabilitation. He will need considerable support during that journey. He has suffered as serious a loss as anyone affected by this fire who is still living. You can help him become whole again.

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Fire Safety Abroad: How college students studying overseas can stay fire safe
Feb
3
10:00 AM10:00

Fire Safety Abroad: How college students studying overseas can stay fire safe

Originally published by NFPA Journal.

In 2010, my daughter headed off to study abroad in Barcelona. Since I work in fire safety, I’m sure I told her to be careful and to always look for a way out every time she entered a building. However, back then I don’t think I fully grasped the differences between the United States and other countries when it came to fire safety and public education. I do now.

This fall, I attended the Center for Campus Fire Safety’s Annual Campus Fire Forum and listened to representatives from the Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation. The foundation is devoted to making studying abroad more fire safe for the approximately 300,000 U.S. students studying in other countries as part of their college experience. Read more...

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OUR RESPONSE TO THE GHOST SHIP TRAGEDY
Dec
2
1:00 PM13:00

OUR RESPONSE TO THE GHOST SHIP TRAGEDY

Our Board wishes to extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those who were lost in the Ghost Ship fire in Oakland and to the first responders working the scene on December 2nd and the days that followed. We are fortunate to have such thorough fire safety standards in the United States, but we continue to see how factors like income and status can cause these safeguards to degrade.

Housing crises in cities worldwide force students, artists, immigrants, and many more struggling communities to live in dwellings that are inherently less safe. This danger isn’t limited to large gatherings – people live in dangerously crowded quarters every day. Many are forced to live outside of laws that are meant to keep them safe just to survive. LGBTQ folks constantly struggle for their safety from violence and discrimination – one in five transgender people in the United States has experienced discrimination when seeking a home, and two out of five young people who are homeless identify as LGBTQ.

Our foundation was established on an idea that we knew would resonate with Jasmine’s spirit – that no matter who you are or where you live, you deserve access to safety. The individuals who lost their lives in the fire inspired their community, and their vibrant spirits will continue to reverberate beyond the countless lives they touched. We are here for the grieving parents, partners, families, and friends and we’ve reached out to our partners in fire services in the Bay Area to find out how we can continue to offer support.

Here are some useful resources:

Here are the GoFundMe campaigns for the families and residents affected by the fire:

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Apr
29
12:00 PM12:00

JUSTICE Goes to Montour Falls, NY

The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) and New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC) are pleased to announce the following programs that will be offered during the 43rd Annual Fire & Life Safety Educators’ Conference. Featuring workshops, hands-on training sessions, and networking activities, this weekend event brings together public educators in the emergency services field from throughout the Northeast and Canada to learn how they can enhance their programs.
 


This year’s event will be held April 29 – May 1, 2016, at the New York State Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls, NY. Programs will include:

Friday Pre-Conference Sessions

  • "Fire Safety for the Rest of Your Life 24/7 365" – Tim Boel, East Greenbush Fire Department and NYSAFC Pub-Ed Committee vice chairman
  •  "How to Execute a Mock Dorm Room Burn" – OFPC

Saturday and Sunday General Session and Breakout Sessions

  • Keynote Address: "Passport to Fire Safety" – Grace Flott, Jasmine’s Justice
  • General Session: "Strive to Survive" – Thomas Dunne, FDNY (retired)
  • "Fire and Injury Prevention Education: Making It Work Together" – Kim O’Malley, Delaware State Fire
  • "Hoarding: What the Fire Service Needs to Know" – Meredith Hawes, NFPA
  • "Fire Prevention in the Land of Nettles" – Oriskany Fire Department
  • "Remember Me?" – Patricia Couture
  • "Water Safety Initiative" – Robert Hazen, End Drowning Now
  • "High School and College Students Fire Safety" – Ronald Wamsley, City of Oneonta Fire Department
  • "Fire Prevention 101" – Stephen Kelley, Port Ewen Fire Department
  • "Home Fire Sprinkler Awareness for the Life Safety Educator" – Chris Whitby, OFPC
  • "The Ins and Outs of Sparkling Devices" – Kayley Morgan, OFPC
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Nov
15
3:00 PM15:00

JUSTICE, CCFS, and Kidde Launch Passport to Fire Safety

The Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation has partnered with the Center for Campus Fire Safety, Kidde Fire Safety Products, and the George Washington University to launch a program that will make life-saving fire prevention equipment easier to access overseas.

“Passport to Fire Safety” is a new program created for the 280,000 U.S. college students traveling abroad each year to prepare for the increased risk of fire-related incidents outside the United States. The program will streamline access to life-saving fire safety equipment such as smoke alarms and portable escape ladders for students and educators in study abroad programs around the world.

Currently, travelers and study abroad program administrators can use the website www.passporttofiresafety.org to order smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and escape ladders with free shipping to several countries in Europe.

“Passport to Fire Safety” was created by a coalition of fire safety organizations including The Center for Campus Fire Safety, Kidde Fire Safety Products, the Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation, and The George Washington University. The program was launched at Universities across the country in September during National Campus Fire Safety Month.

In 2011, Jasmine Jahanshahi died in a Paris apartment fire that killed three other exchange students and seriously injured dozens more. The building did not have working smoke alarms or escape ladders. “For many students, the opportunity to study abroad is a highlight of their collegiate experience,” said Tom Hayden, a Board member and George Washington University Inspections Supervisor. “While preparation often centers on personal safety and cultural differences, students and families may overlook the risk of fires in countries where smoke alarms and other fire safety devices may not be required in homes or up-to-date.”

The program will focus initially on students studying in Europe with plans to expand as the coalition develops. “This partnership resolved the logistical challenge of shipping this equipment to students around the world so that our organization can continue to focus more on awareness and education,” said Sarah Blanc, a Board member of the Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation.

Visit www.passporttofiresafety.org to learn more about the program, choose from a variety of battery-powered smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, fire escape ladders, and fire extinguishers.

“Together we can save the lives of other bright students, today and in the future,” said Reza Djahanshahi, Jasmine’s father and president of the Foundation. To learn more about The Jasmine Jahanshahi Fire Safety Foundation, visit www.firesafetyfoundation.org.

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Jun
7
3:30 PM15:30

Outreach to Health and Safety Managers

This morning, Zoe Friedland gave a presentation on JUSTICE to a group of 50 emergency managers in higher education. The audience was incredibly receptive and motivated to help us share our message. Many thanks to Tom Hayden at George Washington University for setting up this invaluable opportunity to reach more safety professionals!

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Mar
30
3:00 PM15:00

Our Sincere Condolences to the Haghayegh Family

Its with heavy heart and deepest sorrow to inform you of the sudden passing of Amir Haghayegh on Wednesday. He was one of Farbia Haghayegh’s brothers. Fariba is a very dear friend.

The kind and generous family is well known throughout the community and most of us remember Amir’s infectious laughter and positive attitude.

While his family tries to come to terms with his sudden loss, as always their thoughtfulness shines over our community again.

[Condolence] Its with heavy heart and deepest sorrow to inform you of the sudden passing of Amir Haghayegh on Wednesday. He was one of Farbia Haghayegh’s brothers. Fariba is a very dear friend.

The kind and generous family is well known throughout the community and most of us remember Amir’s infectious laughter and positive attitude.

While his family tries to come to terms with his sudden loss, as always their thoughtfulness shines over our community again.

Fariba Haghayegh, on behalf of her family, is requesting from the community not to bring or, send flowers but instead to please donate the funds to Jasmine Fire Saftey Foundation: www.firesafetyfoundation.org

My condolences to the entire family members whom I personally love very much, and always feel very attached to them.

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Oct
30
3:00 PM15:00

London Fire: TRAGEDY PREVENTED BY WORKING SMOKE ALARMS

london.jpg

I just wanted to share this story because it really demonstrates the importance of the Foundation's work.

A few days ago, at around 10 PM, the smoke alarm went off in my apartment in London. I am living on the 6th floor, and when we opened the door to make our way down the stairs, smoke was quickly rising. We ran down the stairs as quickly as possible, and by the time we got to the first floor, there was so much smoke it was impossible to see or breathe.

A few days ago, at around 10 PM, the smoke alarm went off in my apartment in London. I am living on the 6th floor, and when we opened the door to make our way down the stairs, smoke was quickly rising. We ran down the stairs as quickly as possible, and by the time we got to the first floor, there was so much smoke it was impossible to see or breathe.

Firemen arrived in 5 minutes and put out a kitchen fire in the basement. The good news was that the smoke alarm was extremely effective. It alerted us on the highest floor of the building about a fire in the basement almost immediately. The bad news is that there is no other fire escape except for the regular stairs. There is a way to get out of the bathroom window and onto the roof, but then there are no stairs leading down. I have ordered a ladder from the Foundation.

This experience really hit too close to home for me. Six londoners died in a house fire a few weeks ago. The smoke alarms worked and got everyone out of the building safely. The work we are doing is SO important. Every smoke alarm we provide is a real chance to save a life.

Thank you for your continued support!

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