For its Homecoming Week Monday, October 25, thru Friday, October 29 -- designed traditionally to bring back alumni to their alma mater, Co-Lin is seeking to include the wider Wesson community. A community-wide movie night at Stone Stadium on Monday will kick off the week-long events and activities. An array of events, including the Wolf Pack homecoming matchup against Jones Community College, will highlight Homecoming Day on Thursday, October 28, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, will feature one major event: 5k glow run during the evening of Tuesday, October 26; Retiree brunch on Wednesday, October 27 Homecoming golf tournament on Friday, October 29 Check exact times and get other pertinent information on the Co-Lin web site (www.colin.edu) or through the alumni office (601-643-6313). In addition to the football game, Homecoming Day activities will include: President's home open house from 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Alumni Association awards reception recognizing Sports Hall of Fame inductees, Band and Colette alumni award winners and the 50-year reunion class from 3:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Community-wide tailgate party beside Stone Stadium from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Homecoming Court will be presented at halftime of the football game, which starts at 6:30 p.m. "Following a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellation of the Homecoming celebration, we are expecting upwards of 2,000 participants from alumni, many of whom are retired, and townspeople," says Angela Furr, Co-Lin Foundation and Alumni Relations Director. Furr said the tailgate party with its new location beside the stadium, free food and musical entertainment will be a big event with community as well as alumni participation. There will be no Saturday events this year facing competition from non Co-Lin events in the area, she added

Today, Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced several additions to the 2022 Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo during a press conference held at the Mississippi Trade Mart. Commissioner Gipson was joined by Scotty Lovelace, owner of Harper & Morgan Rodeo; Phillip D. Morgan, CEO of Southern AgCredit; and Don Brazil, CEO of the Foundation for Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. “I am excited to announce Southern AgCredit as the new title sponsor for the annual Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo,” said Commissioner Gipson. “Also this year, our agency is partnering with the Foundation for Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to hold the Spring Edition of the Mississippi Ag and Outdoor Expo during an extended weekend of the Dixie National Rodeo. This adds another dynamic to the traditional events held during Dixie National. Visitors from across the country look forward to this annual, month-long agricultural event, and I believe it will be bigger and better than ever.” “We are delighted to be the title sponsor of the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo. We know Southern AgCredit and the Dixie National are a natural pair,” said Morgan. “We both have deep roots in Mississippi and the surrounding area, as well as an affinity for serving those with a passion for agriculture. We look forward to working together to make the 57th Dixie National the greatest yet!” “On behalf of our Foundation Board, I want to express how incredibly excited we are to present the Spring Edition of the Mississippi Ag and Outdoor Expo at the Dixie National Rodeo,” said Brazil. The Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo, the largest rodeo event east of the Mississippi River, brings in participates from all over the world and generates millions of dollars in the local economy. This coming year, the rodeo competitions will be extended to include a second weekend, February 11-13 and 16-19. The entertainment lineup for the 2022 Dixie National Rodeo includes Dylan Scott, Joe Nichols, the Gatlin Brothers, Gary Allan, Neal McCoy, Justin Moore and Bellamy Brothers. “Harper & Morgan Rodeo is very proud of the past success of the Dixie National Rodeo and even more excited for the future. The renovations to the fairgrounds, the Coliseum, and the Trade Mart are a part of making the Dixie National Rodeo a huge success. With the support of our partners and their continued investment, The Dixie National Rodeo will be second to none,” said Lovelace. The 57th Annual Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo will run Wednesday, January 19, through Sunday, February 20, 2022, at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. Visit www.dixienational.org for more information as it becomes available.

The Mississippi Egg Marketing Board and the Mississippi Hospitality Restaurant Association are pleased to announce the winner of the “2021 Mississippi Best Egg Dish” as Coffee Central in Hernando. Congratulations to Tina Tatum, owner of Coffee Central, for being named the inaugural winner and their Spinach Feta Tomato Quiche, the creation of Kitchen Manager Jamie Johnston. Recognizing that there have been some tough times for restaurants in the state since the on-set of COVID-19, the Mississippi Egg Marketing Board and the Mississippi Hospitality Restaurant Association created an exciting opportunity for restaurants to promote a favorite recipe featuring eggs as an ingredient, to help support this vital industry. The winner, Coffee Central, is a full-service coffee house with locations in Hernando and Southaven, Miss., and is Mississippi’s only locally owned and operated coffee shop! However, they are more than a coffee shop; they are a community – a place where coffee and community meet. The restaurant features a full coffeehouse menu with a modest selection of moderately priced comfort foods, healthy lifestyle offerings and prepackaged to-go items. Seasonal selections and regional favorites will be on a revolving menu that will change weekly. Coffee Central also has space for live performers to draw in the night life of Desoto County. Coffee Central is devoted to the mission “Coffee with a Cause” with a portion of all proceeds going to help survivors of human trafficking locally and around the world. A monthly live music night benefits a different non-profit each month and Coffee Central prides themselves as “people who are making a difference in their community.” Many recipes rely on basic ingredients to provide the nutrition and great taste that we all love and expect when dining in area restaurants. The egg remains one of nature’s most perfect foods and is used as a functional ingredient in recipes to provide vitamins and protein. When used in cooking, eggs provide structure, leavening, moisture, emulsification, flavor, color and nutrition. Visit www.MSEggMarketing.com for great tasting egg dishes brought to you by the Incredible Egg. For more information about the Mississippi Egg Marketing Board, contact Jennifer Thompson at msegg@mdac.ms.gov.

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson encourages Mississippians to celebrate Agritourism Month with a visit to one of the state’s agritourism farms. Agritourism farms are working farms, ranches or other agricultural enterprises that offer an educational and fun experience for visitors while generating supplemental income for the owner. More than 70 agritourism operations have registered with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and information about them can be found at www.msagritourism.org online. “The average consumer is three generations removed from the farm and may not know where their food actually comes from,” said Commissioner Gipson. “I encourage Mississippians to experience the importance of agriculture and enjoy the diverse agritourism operations offered throughout the state. It’s a great way to learn more about the history, customs and culture of our largest industry, and a fun experience to share with the family.” Agritourism generates approximately $150 million annually in the state and is one of the fastest growing tourism markets. Many agritourism farms in Mississippi are open to visitors throughout the year, but the peak season occurs during the fall. Activities that visitors can expect to find on agritourism farms include pumpkin patches, corn mazes, petting zoos, horseback riding, wagon rides, U-picks and festivals celebrating sweet potatoes, pecans and peanuts.

Students who left college at least two years ago without a degree can apply for a grant to help overcome financial barriers that may keep them from returning to college to complete the requirements for their degrees. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation recently awarded the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) $1.3 million to fund Mississippi’s Complete 2 Compete (C2C) Tuition Assistance Grant through 2023. Funds can be used at any of the public universities or community colleges in the state of Mississippi. The Complete 2 Compete program provides one-on-one support for adult learners who have earned college credits, but not a degree, and enables them to turn their deferred dreams of earning a degree into reality. Qualifying returning students will receive a $1,000 grant that can be renewed every semester. The award helps pay for any coursework needed to graduate and can help repay prior debt to allow students the opportunity to return and graduate. There are more than 200,000 prior students that qualify for the Complete 2 Compete program. Since May, the C2C program has reached out to former students through postcards as well as internet and social media ads. Over the summer, C2C Coaches processed more than 2,700 applications and helped at least 620 former students enroll in one of Mississippi’s 15 community colleges, 8 universities, and medical center. In just four months, an additional 208 returning students were added to the already 2,400 who have graduated since the program launched in 2017. While thousands have earned enough credits for a degree, even more are closer than they think. Additional information on C2C can be found at either www.msc2c.org or by calling 833-222-4338.

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brent Bailey of the Central District announced the recognition of Energy Efficiency Day 2021 today, October 6, in the state of Mississippi. At a special meeting on September 29, upon a motion put forth by Commissioner Bailey, the Commission adopted a Proclamation recognizing October 6, 2021, as Energy Efficiency Day in Mississippi. “Energy Efficiency Day is a daylong national campaign to increase the public awareness and education on energy efficiency by highlighting the urgency of energy-saving efforts to lower bills, reduce emissions and create jobs,” Commissioner Bailey said. “We urge the residents of Mississippi to learn more about energy efficiency and to apply smart energy practices in their daily lives.” The national 2021 Energy Efficiency Day message is: “Save Money. Cut Carbon. Breathe Easier.” Since the inaugural Energy Efficiency Day in 2016, this annual awareness event has been supported by hundreds of regional and national organizations, businesses, agencies, utilities, universities and individuals. Energy efficiency is an economic engine, supporting more than 2.3 million jobs nationwide in manufacturing, construction, and other fields. “It's always a great idea for energy customers to save energy, not just on Energy Efficiency Day, but all year long,” Commissioner Bailey said. “There are many ways to practice energy efficiency in your own home and businesses and we can all work together to cut energy waste for long-term economic benefits.” Learn more about the vital benefits of energy efficiency at www.energyefficiencyday.org.

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson will officially open the gates to the 162nd Mississippi State Fair with a ceremonial ribbon cutting at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 6, at Gate 1 located at the intersection of Jefferson and Amite Streets. Mississippi Fairgrounds Director Michael Lasseter and Miss Jackson Hospitality MaKayla Dillard will join Commissioner Gipson in kicking off the State Fair. The Mississippi State Fire Academy Elite Honor Guard will present the colors and Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s (MDAC) Jared Vardaman will perform a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Following the ribbon cutting, Commissioner Gipson will make his way down the Midway to the Biscuit Booth where he will personally greet fairgoers. “I am excited to welcome everyone to the 162nd Mississippi State Fair,” said Commissioner Gipson. “The State Fair is a tradition for many families, and we have several new attractions we’re excited to introduce to the public this year.” ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS TO NOTE: Mississippi Heroes Night will be held on Wednesday, October 6, and as a special thank you, the Mississippi Fairgrounds will be offering free admission to all law enforcement officers, first responders, firefighters, healthcare workers, medical professionals and active military personnel. Identification will be required at the gate. For the first time ever, a portion of the Mississippi State Fairgrounds will be transformed into the Mississippi Frontier Village. This new attraction will feature blacksmiths, train rides, pig races, pony rides, shows, entertainment, a petting zoo and exhibits. Located at the west end of the Midway near the Kid Zone, the Mississippi Frontier Village is an attraction you do not want to miss! This year, the Mississippi State Fair will host a Firefighter Combat Challenge, a relay simulating the essential skills of firefighting. Individuals and teams will start at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 14, and the tandems and relays will start at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, October 15. All firefighters are welcome to compete; visit www.firefighterchallenge.com to apply for entry. The Ag Expo, presented by Farm Bureau, will be held inside the Mississippi Trade Mart, and will be open to the public each day of the fair. Enjoy the crowd favorite Genuine MS® Store; an antique and classic car show; vendors from across the nation selling unique products and services; food preservation exhibits; arts and crafts; and other educational showcases of Mississippi agriculture. Musical acts performing on the Budweiser Stage located on the Midway include Smashmouth, Ginuwine, Riley Green, the Bar-Kays, Kayla Berry and the Mississippi Mass Choir. In addition, local acts will perform at the State Fair on the Trustmark Stage located on the Midway. All musical entertainment is free with regular fair admission. The 2021 State Fair will include the annual Horse, Mule and Pony Pulls in the Kirk Fordice Equine Center. The Pony Pull will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 15. The Horse Pull will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 16, with the Mule Pull immediately following. The additional Mule Jump will take place between the Horse and Mule Pulls. Senior American Day will be held on Wednesday, October 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and will include musical entertainment by Bill Clark of Brandon, Leah Curry-Williams of Jackson and the William Carey Commissioners of Hattiesburg, as well as a speech by Commissioner Andy Gipson. Flu and Pneumonia vaccines will be offered and administered by Walmart, while supplies last. This year, the Mississippi State Fair is adding a ProRodeo Xtreme Bull Riding Fall Nationals tournament and Tri-State Rodeo in the Kirk Fordice Equine Center. The bull riding competition, part of the Xtreme Bulls Tour, will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 9. Tickets to bull riding can be purchased in advance at the Coliseum Box Office or online at www.Ticketmaster.com; prices start at $25.00. Those purchasing advance tickets will receive free fair admission. The rodeo will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 10. General admission to the rodeo will be $10.00 per person; tickets can only be purchased at the door, and do not include fair admission. In addition to the longtime tradition of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s famous Biscuit Booth, this year will include a Homemade Biscuit Eating Contest. The contest will be held at the Trustmark Stage on Saturday, October 9, at 12:00 p.m. The public can register for the contest on the Mississippi State Fairgrounds’ Facebook page. Daily activities will take place throughout the 105 acres of the Mississippi Fairgrounds Complex. Children, and adults alike, will enjoy the Farm Bureau Petting Zoo Area and Pig Races, the 4-H and FFA Livestock Shows and will be wowed by performers of the Zerbini Family Circus. Several other vendors, exhibits and attractions will be available to the public, including a Stock Dog Trial, West Texas Rattlesnake Show, the Mystic Wind Choctaw Dancers and more. Fair rides will be sanitized between each ride and hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout the grounds. Guests may wish to bring and utilize a mask in case they are unable to maintain social distance. Face masks will be available at the gates to the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. The Mississippi State Fair runs Wednesday, October 6, through Sunday, October 17, with a gate admission price of $5.00 per person and parking fee of $5.00 per car. Children aged 6 and under will be admitted free of charge. Enjoy free admission every weekday from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., with the exception of Monday, October 11. For a list of daily events including livestock shows, ride specials and latest information, visit www.msstatefair.com online, download the Mississippi State Fair mobile app or follow the Mississippi State Fairgrounds on Facebook.

Xavier Gardner had a mild case of COVID-19 in August, but he’s still fighting the effects of the MIS-C that followed the viral infection. Xavier had symptoms similar to a sinus infection, said his mother Cheryl Gardner of Raymond. “After quarantine, he seemed fine to go back to school, but by that Wednesday, when he was doing homework, he was shivering with chills and had a low-grade fever.” Xavier’s fever began to rise, and nausea and vomiting followed. Another worry was Xavier’s autism. “I was concerned that he might not be able to communicate what he was feeling or if he was hurting,” Gardner said. After a visit to his pediatrician, Xavier was sent to the children’s hospital. “It was really scary, because of the possibility of blood clots and the inflammation with MIS-C,” Gardner said, “but they took fantastic care of Xavier. I wouldn’t take him anywhere else.” He and other children in the state who have had MIS-C have a team of pediatric experts in infectious diseases, hematology, cardiology and rheumatology at their side at Children’s of Mississippi’s outpatient MIS-C clinic. Through the twice-monthly clinic, patients can see multiple physicians during one visit. MIS-C, or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, is a rare but serious condition that is thought to be a delayed reaction to COVID-19. In MIS-C, the immune system of a child who has been infected with COVID-19 attacks the body’s healthy cells, particularly those involving blood vessels, the heart and other organs. “In layman’s terms, COVID causes the immune system to malfunction and start attacking itself, and the condition that follows is MIS-C,” said Dr. Catherine Gordon, associate professor of pediatric hematology and oncology, and one of the experts treating children with MIS-C in the hospital and after they go home. According to the Mississippi Department of Health, more than 83 children in the state have had MIS-C between the start of the pandemic and mid-August of this year. Five of those children died. More than 80 children have been hospitalized at Children’s of Mississippi with the condition, requiring the continuing care of multiple subspecialists. This comes as the state is still seeing acute cases of COVID-19 in children. "What we have now is both MIS-C and severe acute COVID-19, and I think it’s because of schools dropping mask mandates,” said Dr. Charlotte Hobbs, professor of pediatric infectious diseases and director of UMMC’s MIS-C clinic. “We saw this drop of acute COVID-19, and then MIS-C, and now acute COVID-19 is increasing again. Acute COVID and MIS-C at the same time is something that has not happened before, and it is preventable.” Doctors have no way of knowing which child could have a life-threatening case of MIS-C following a COVID-19 infection, Gordon said. “The severity of the COVID infection has no bearing on whether you may have MIS-C,” she said. “Many times, patients with MIS-C do not even know they have had a COVID infection previously. As the name implies, the condition affects virtually every system throughout your body and, if left untreated, may be fatal.” Children with MIS-C are usually hospitalized for several days to a week or more, under the care of a team of subspecialists. Treatment consists of medications to blunt the immune response as well as anticoagulation medications due to the high risk of clotting seen with MIS-C. Because the effects from the condition may last well past hospitalization, it is important for these patients to be seen in follow-up with all the same subspecialists. Gavin Austin was among MIS-C outpatients in clinic recently, seeing Gordon among others. The 13-year-old from Madison suffered high fever following a COVID-19 infection that brought him chest pains. “When we couldn’t get his fever down, Gavin’s doctor sent him to the Emergency Department,” said his father, Gabriel Austin. A hospital stay followed, and now Children’s of Mississippi doctors are helping Gavin recover through outpatient visits at the MIS-C clinic. Xavier Gardner was at the MIS-C clinic for an echocardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart’s movement, and to see an infectious diseases specialist. "Seeing all Xavier’s doctors at one appointment is really helpful,” Gardner said. Pediatric rheumatologist Dr. Anita Dhanrajani said multiple specialists are coming together to provide the best care to patients. “MIS-C is a very severe disease and during their hospital stay most patients will experience some ups and downs in their clinical status,” she said. “This leads to an enormous emotional burden on the family. The least we can do to make it somewhat easy for them to navigate the system after discharge is to provide them with multi-specialty care under one roof. While the patients were being assigned to exam rooms or getting care from nurses, we specialists were getting our brain powers united to come up with the best plan of action for their management.” Hobbs said patients of MIS-C families have been grateful for the follow-up care as their children recover. “This clinic and support are integral for these children and families,” she said. “Every parent of one of our MIS-C patients in clinic told me how happy and appreciative they were to be able to see every subspecialty in one day.” Gordon and Hobbs credit the entire Children’s of Mississippi team for the clinic’s smooth operation. “Coordination of such a clinic was a major undertaking and would not be possible without the commitment of the physicians, nurses, and administrative help that were willing to take this on in addition to all their other usually scheduled clinics and responsibilities,” Gordon said. “While we all hope COVID cases continue to decline, and with it the cases of MIS-C and need for this clinic, until that happens Children’s of Mississippi is dedicated to continuing to provide this service and the best care possible for all the children of Mississippi.”

The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, a division of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, invites the public to the annual Pumpkin Adventure on October 6-9, 13-16 and 20-23. The event will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with extended hours for family days on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Museum’s Pumpkin Adventure will include a hayride around the museum grounds and Small Town, Miss.; a delicious, complementary snack of cookies and milk; a self-guided tour of the Heritage Center Gallery; a large corn pit to play in; a straw maze for the kids; and a small pumpkin of choice to take home. The General Store will also be open for visitors to shop for souvenirs and enjoy an old-fashioned Coca-Cola in a glass bottle. Concessions will also be available for purchase on Saturdays throughout this event. Admission price for the annual Pumpkin Adventure is $8.00 per person. Children ages two and under will receive free admission. The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, located at 1150 Lakeland Drive in Jackson, is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 601-432-4500 or 1-800-844-8687, visit www.msagmuseum.org or visit the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum’s page on Facebook.

The Mississippi Book Festival is going virtual. After COVID-19 caused the cancellation of its August event, the festival has been working to create a virtual experience for readers to connect with the many authors who had planned to participate in August. That virtual experience will go public on the festival’s website on October 12, 2021, with more than 110 official panelists appearing on 31 panels recorded in the last month. According to Executive Director Ellen Daniels, “We’ve got an amazing group of authors and moderators who have rallied to record more than 35 hours of great conversations about books and writing. Honoring these writers and continuing to engage our loyal and growing community of book lovers is what the festival is all about. Perhaps we couldn’t have an in-person literary lawn party this year, but we can certainly have a literary log-on party!” Some of the authors featured include Curtis Wilkie, Kiese Laymon, Nic Stone, W. Ralph Eubanks, Jerry Mitchell, Catherine Pierce, Beth Ann Fennelly, Mitch Landrieu, William Ferris, Angie Thomas, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Robert Khayat, and Kai Bird. All panels will be made available online for public viewing on the Book Festival’s website beginning Tuesday, October 12th. To connect with the virtual festival on October 12, please visit msbookfestival.com. Also connect with the Mississippi Book Festival on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. “Hundreds of people work year-round to make the Mississippi Book Festival a success,” said Daniels, “and it would not be possible without the help of generous sponsors and donors from across the state. The Community Foundation for Mississippi is the festival’s longtime partner and this year’s presenting funder. Trustmark National Bank is the lead sponsor for the virtual experience.”

Schools across the state are celebrating Mississippi Farm to School Week this week, October 4-8. The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Child Nutrition and Healthy Schools hosted a Mississippi Farm to School Week Pre-Celebration webinar for school foodservice administrators across the state leading up to Farm to School Week. The webinar featured discussions on the importance of farm to school and opportunities and resources available for farm to week celebrations. “The partnership between the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and the Mississippi Department of Education benefits both schools and farmers,” said Commissioner Gipson. “Farmers are provided with an additional marketing opportunity to sell fresh produce, and students have increased access to healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables grown right here in Mississippi. Farm to school also allows the students, our future leaders, to learn where their food comes from and to get a glimpse into the world of agriculture.” For more than two decades, the Mississippi Department of Education and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce have made successful efforts to increase the amount of Mississippi grown fruits and vegetables served in cafeterias across the state through the Department of Defense (DoD) Farm to School Program. The program offers a variety of 16 Mississippi-grown fruits and vegetables, including butterbeans, southern peas, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, turnip greens, cantaloupes, watermelons, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage, eggplant, strawberries, cucumbers, blueberries and broccoli crowns, to schools. “Farm to School has been a highly effective partnership between the Mississippi Department of Education, Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Mississippi farmers, and local schools for more than two decades,” said Scott Clements, State Director of the Office of Child Nutrition and Healthy Schools. “Through this partnership, we are able to provide students with healthy, fresh Mississippi produce while supporting local farmers. Using farm to school events, schools have an opportunity to teach students about agriculture and the connection to nutritious foods.” The first full week of October was designated as Mississippi Farm to School Week by the Mississippi Legislature in 2012. Farm to School Week was introduced as an effort to encourage schools to serve locally grown and locally raised agricultural products in their meals and to recognize the substantial economic and health benefits of farm to school programs. Farm to School Week draws attention to the vast number of crops that are grown in Mississippi and serves as an educational tool to teach children where their food comes from beyond the grocery store. Visit farmtoschoolweek.org to learn more about Mississippi Farm to School and to access available resources including posters, videos, menus and other additional promotional materials. View a message from Commissioner Gipson and Scott Clements at https://youtu.be/tpBEgrT2G3k to learn more about the efforts of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and the Mississippi Department of Education.

The National Fire Prevention Association recognizes Fire Prevention Week 2021 from October 3rd-9th. This year, the theme is “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety” and focuses on educating children and adults about smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms and the life-saving sounds they make. For instance, a single chirp from your Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarm every 30 or 60 seconds means the battery is low and must be replaced. If your smoke alarm issues a continued set of three loud beeps it means smoke or fire. Get out, call 9-1-1, and stay out. Smoke alarms should be tested once a month, batteries should be replaced once a year, and the entire alarm should be replaced every 10 years. There have been 58 fire deaths in Mississippi at last check in 2021. There were no working smoke alarms in 34 of those cases. “A working smoke alarm cuts your risk of dying in a fire in half,” said State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney. “Not having one, or many placed throughout the home, is simply unacceptable.” If you need a smoke alarm, ask your local fire department. Additionally, the SFMO recommends that every family make an escape plan that includes two ways out and practice it often. Make sure that children and those who may need extra assistance have someone to help them escape and set a location away from the home for everyone to meet in case of a fire.