Georgia's 2013 Fire Safety Calendar will feature artwork from three Heard-Mixon Elementary School students. Although students from 65 schools from across the state participated, Heard-Mixon fifth-graders Sarah Kessler, Zachary MacFarlane, and Shernylah Simmons won three of the 13 spots on the Statewide Fire Safety Tips Calendar. The contest is sponsored by the Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner and the Georgia Fire Sprinkler Association.

The contest was open to all Georgia elementary school students in grades kindergarten through five. Students were asked to create poster entries emphasizing this year's theme, "Have Two Ways Out!" or one of 12 fire safety tips.

The 12 fire safety tips included:

•Safety Tip 1: Give space heaters some space. Things placed too closely to space heaters can catch on fire.

•Safety Tip 2: Firefighters are your friends. Never hide inside. Always go outside when there is a fire.

•Safety Tip 3: Matches and lighters are tools, not toys! If you find a match or lighter, tell an adult.

•Safety Tip 4: Have smoke alarms in your home to protect you and your family. Have a smoke alarm for each floor in your home.

•Safety Tip 5: If your clothes catch fire, stop where you are, drop to the ground and cover your face, and roll!

•Safety Tip 6: Remember, in case of fire in your home, always go to a neighbor's house to call 911.

•Safety Tip 7: If there is smoke in your house, crawl low under the smoke and get out and stay out!

•Safety Tip 8: Home fire sprinklers control and extinguish fires in your home, giving you more time to escape.

•Safety Tip 9: Have a meeting place outside your home that the whole family knows about. Once outside, never go back inside!

•Safety Tip 10: When cooking, turn handles toward the rear of the stove. Grease fires can quickly get out of control. If you have a grease fire, cover the pan with a lid to smother the fire.

•Safety Tip 11: Draw a fire escape plan for your home and practice it with the whole family. Make sure you have two ways out of every room.

•Safety Tip 12: Keep your holidays happy, turn holiday lights off before going to bed.

Sarah Kessler's artwork will be featured for the month of January with the safety tip, "Give Space Heaters Some Space." Zachary MacFarlane's art was chosen for the month of March and displays the safety tip, "Matches and Lighters are Tools, Not Toys!" Finally, Shernylah Simmons' poster was chosen to represent the month of May with the safety tip, "If Your Cloths Catch Fire, You Should Stop, Drop and Roll."

The students were recently recognized for their accomplishments at the annual "Excellence in Fire Safety Awards Luncheon" held at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Georgia, where they had the opportunity to meet Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner Ralph T. Hudgens.

"We're very proud of Sarah, Zachary, and Shernylah," said school superintendent Gary Mathews.

"Considering the number of schools participating, to have three of our students win spots in the statewide fire safety calendar is a tremendous accomplishment. These students are obviously very creative and very talented and have represented our school system well. Congratulations to each of them on a job well done!"