The Miracles of Safer Lives…
From DuPont News, May 03, 2005 —
DuPont recently announced the 20 finalists for "The Miracles of Safer Lives" global employee essay invitation. This is one in a series of articles highlighting the essays of the finalists. The winner of the invitation will be announced on June 15th.
Gene R.F. Baker, an Automotive Supplier Finishes alignment technician at the DuPont Ajax site in Ontario, Canada, said:
"I have worked for DuPont for twenty-six years and I have always tried to incorporate the safety lessons I learned into my family life. There have been times when I have had to convince my family of the importance of following basic safety rules. For example, when my oldest son was first asked to cut the lawn, he resisted having to wear steel-toed boots. He complained that no one else he knew had to wear them and he thought I was being overprotective. As he has gotten older, he has changed his thinking and I am proud of his level of safety awareness.
Through the years, I have purchased many home fire alarms, a fire safety ladder, and several fire extinguishers from DuPont. This has always brought peace of mind to my wife, Lisa. Once, I purchased a bright red ten pound ABC extinguisher and I found a spot for it in the family room. It didn't match the decor of the room and annoyed my wife, but we became accustomed to having it by the fireplace. One night when I returned home from an afternoon shift, my wife noted that she was grateful for the fire extinguisher. Earlier that evening, something went wrong in the fireplace, resulting in a fire that soon got out of control. Lisa grabbed the fire extinguisher and put out the fire. My wife likely saved our house and possibly the lives of our sleeping children.
Later that week, the same red fire extinguisher was used to prevent another potential disaster. DuPont has a policy that if you use your fire extinguisher it will be refilled free of charge. Because I was at an off-site facility, I enlisted the help of a colleague to get the fire extinguisher refilled. After it was re-filled, he placed it in his truck. On his way home from work that night, his truck caught fire and he used the extinguisher to put out the flames. His truck very likely would have been engulfed in flames if he had not had access to the fire extinguisher.
DuPont is a global science company committed to making the world a better place. The commitment and dedication to safety awareness for all employees has had a profound impact on my life and the life of my family. I'll always be grateful for the safety knowledge I have gained as a result of being a part of the DuPont family."
