Company establishes virtual Junior Fire Marshal® Day to address gap in fire-safety education caused by the pandemic

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Hartford, which has provided fire-safety education to more than 111 million children since 1947, created a live, virtual fire-safety event to address the critical lack of in-person, fire-safety education available to elementary school students in 2020. On Oct. 6, more than 40,000 kindergarten-through-third-grade students in more than 150 cities across the country participated in the live-stream event available in both classroom and remote-learning environments.

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Morley Elementary School Students, West Hartford, Conn. (Photo: Business Wire)

“The pandemic has made it difficult for firefighters to reach children with the valuable lessons they would typically receive in school this time of year,” said The Hartford’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Kathy Bromage. “We have partnered with firefighters for more than 70 years to help deliver essential fire-safety education in the classroom. Although we are not able to be together in-person this year, the Junior Fire Marshal Day program allows thousands of children to be together virtually and, in a short time, learn the life-saving information they need to help keep themselves and their families safe.”

Led by a teacher and a firefighter, the 30-minute event guided students through important fire safety lessons like:

• Matches and lighters are for grown-ups;
• Smoke alarms are important;
• Create and practice your escape plan; and
• Establish your outside meeting place.

The event also featured a smoke and escape plan demonstration in The Hartford’s fire safety trailer and a video congratulations from firefighters around the country, recognizing them for their achievement. The event culminated in students earning the title of "Junior Fire Marshal" and becoming officially deputized.

Savannah, Ga., Fire Chief Derik Minard said, “This global health crisis has created a need for more virtual-based education, but not all departments are equipped to adapt to that shift. Home fires are still a big concern for departments around the country. With The Hartford hosting this event, lifesaving education is reaching our children just as we are about to enter the holiday season, when we tend to see a spike in home fires.”

Parents and educators nationwide are able to access a replay of the event through the end of October by visiting https://www.juniorfiremarshal.com/register.

The History of the Junior Fire Marshal Program

The Junior Fire Marshal program was started in 1947 by an employee of The Hartford, making it one of the country’s oldest corporate-sponsored public education programs. Since the program’s inception, The Hartford has deputized more than 111 million Junior Fire Marshals.

The company’s signature red fire helmets have been displayed proudly by generations of children who have learned the basics of fire safety and prevention through this innovative and educational program. The program teaches lifesaving lessons such as Matches and Lighters are for Grown-ups and Create and Practice Your Escape Plan. These lessons, along with other fun, engaging and educational activities, help parents and teachers have meaningful and vital fire-safety conversations with children.

Over the years, celebrities such as Mariano Rivera, Ron Howard, Dick Van Dyke, Jack Benny, Jimmy Dean, Captain Kangaroo, Carol Channing, Red Skelton, Johnny Carson, Robert Young, Henry "the Fonz" Winkler and Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan have helped The Hartford recognize children who participated in the Junior Fire Marshal program.

Recently, The Hartford committed to educating an additional 3.5 million students in kindergarten through third grade and donating more than $3 million to school districts and fire departments in the 150 U.S. cities with the highest risk of home fires according to The Hartford’s Home Fire Index. For more information about The Hartford’s Home Fire Index and Junior Fire Marshal program, visit www.juniorfiremarshal.com.

About The Hartford

The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds. With more than 200 years of expertise, The Hartford is widely recognized for its service excellence, sustainability practices, trust and integrity. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at https://www.thehartford.com. Follow us on Twitter at @TheHartford_PR.

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice.

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Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those discussed in our 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q, and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.

From time to time, The Hartford may use its website and/or social media outlets, such as Twitter and Facebook, to disseminate material company information. Financial and other important information regarding The Hartford is routinely accessible through and posted on our website at https://ir.thehartford.com, Twitter account at www.twitter.com/TheHartford_PR and Facebook at https://facebook.com/thehartford. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about The Hartford when you enroll your email address by visiting the “Email Alerts” section at https://ir.thehartford.com.

Media Contacts:

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AnnMarie LaBreck

860-547-3898

[email protected]

Jeff Welch

860-547-7623

[email protected]

Source: The Hartford