Sparkles FSD unscripted and BOL (barking out loud) for FIRE SAFETY!!

Part of the perks of being a “Canine Correspondent” is that I get to cover stories that I find personally fulfilling and also items that will have an impact on my readers.  One of my pals on Facebook is Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog and recently I had the opportunity to sit down over a couple of bones and chat. Here is the interview as it unfolded..enjoy!  

What does a full day of work mean for you?

Each day, I wake up excited to help Firefighter Dayna with all of the fun fire safety projects that she has planned for the day. Every day is different, so it makes it really fun!

Here’s an example of a typical day:

• Have a yummy breakfast.
• Answer fire safety questions that children submit on my website (www.sparklesthefiresafetydog.com)
• Spend time on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sparkles-the-Fire-Safety-Dog/58302653884?ref=mf), my blog (http://www.sparklesthefiresafetydog.blogspot.com) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/sparklestfsd)
• Take a nap.
• Help Firefighter Dayna with new ideas to help keep children safe, such as new coloring pages.
• Answer questions that bloggers and the media has for me. We love bloggers and the media because they help us share the fire safety message, just like you, Lola Belle!
• Help my friend, Tango, practice his fire safety tricks (he’s learning how to become a fire safety dog).
• Take another nap (Fire safety dogs need their rest!)
• Pawtograph my children’s fire safety book, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, for people that order my book.
• Help mom work on her three new books; a revision of my first book, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog (to be released in July), Sparkles Goes to Boston (to be released in October) and a really cool new coloring book (Summer 2010 release date)!
• Take a big long nap (zzzzzzz)
• Spend more time on Facebook
• Answer questions for teachers that are interested in having us visit their classrooms either in person or via Skype.
• Help mom with my foundation, the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation (http://www.keepkidsfiresafe.org). The foundation is dedicated to helping keep children and their caregivers fire safe and provides fire safety educational materials for children, parents, fire departments, schools and organizations at little or no cost. We are always looking for ways to raise money to help be able to do this! If you would like to help, please let us know! We would be forever grateful! You can become one of Sparkles’ Angels (http://www.keepkidsfiresafe.org/sparkles_angels.html)!
• Play with mom and Tango.
• Go out to the fire station to visit with the firefighters.
• Eat dinner.
• Sleep while mom works on more fire safety projects (she works until 2 or 3 in the morning while I sleep keeping her company).

The next day, I wake up and do it all again!

I can imagine that you feel very happy when you help children learn? Is there anyway you can describe the feelings that you have?

There is nothing like it, Lola Belle! I love when children share with me that they are doing things in their home to help keep them and their families safe from fire. There are a lot of very special Jr. Firefighters out there!

What do you do for relaxation?

I love to have a pawdicure. My mom paints my toenails fire engine red. I also love it when she gives me a massage and hugs me. It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside!

You were on Times Square in New York that must have been pawsome!! Do you have any feelings to describe this and what led up to it?

I was so excited, Lola Belle! I’ve been sharing fire safety tips on PBS KIDS Sprout for almost four years now (http://www.sproutonline.com/firesafety), thanks to my great friends at Sprout. Last year, I was really excited when our picture was on the jumbotron at Times Square and where you live, Las Vegas! I could hardly believe it! It was really fun watching my mom when she saw the picture. She was so happy her eyes leaked. We love sharing the fire safety message and anytime that people (and dogs like you!) help share fire safety, we love it!

Any more goals that you would like to accomplish this year?

My main goal in life is to help save lives, reduce injuries and decrease property loss from fire. If I can help raise awareness about the work of the foundation and help raise money so that we can help provide materials to children, I would be so happy!

I am so excited about the new books coming out and will be helping Firefighter Dayna work on a couple more this fall. We also will be doing Skype visits to schools this fall. Can’t wait!

Am helping Firefighter Dayna with a couple of exciting projects as well, but she won’t let me spill the beans! If you become my friend on Facebook, you will know what those projects are before anyone else! How cool is that?

What is your favorite treat?

I love, love, love strawberries! Yummy!

Can a school or corporation sponsor you?

I would love to have a sponsor! Mom and I pay for everything out of our own pockets and to have help, whether it be something as simple as doing graphic design work or helping us financially, would be a tremendous gift! Sponsors would help us save lives!

What message would you like to leave the readers of the blog?

Fire safety is something that you need to think about every day. It’s easy to think that fire won’t happen to you, but honestly, it CAN happen to you. Your home can become totally engulfed in flames in less than three minutes. Be prepared. Make a plan with your family and practice it. Have working smoke alarms in your home.

It is almost the fourth of July, so please remember to leave fireworks to the professionals!

And most of all, practice fire safety EVERY DAY!

Thank you so much, Lola Belle, for helping share the fire safety message! Firefighter Dayna and I are going to make you an honorary fire safety dog for the day!

What a great interview! Sparkles does so much to help out and the children really remember how to drop and roll once it is demonstrated by a canine pal. So if any businesses or individuals are looking for a great cause to sponsor or help out with…look no further! And now we are off for a relaxing pawdicure where the recorder will be turned off, and will be followed by belly rubs and hopefully treats!!Will enjoy my day as a Fire Safety DOG!

XOXO

Lola Belle