Thursday, December 23, 2010

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog Memorial Pathway on the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation's Walk of Honor



The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has designated a special section in the Walk of Honor to honor and remember Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog and her fire safety efforts. Please consider joining this worthy cause by making a donation for a brick in this special section.
The brick walkway links the official National Fallen Firefighters Monument honoring all fallen firefighter heroes to the historic firefighters Chapel as it winds its way through the National Memorial Park, site of the annual National Memorial service. Congress created the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in 1992 to honor all fallen firefighters and to assist their survivors in rebuilding their lives.

Now is the time to show your support for fire safety education and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation by helping to complete this permanent tribute to the American fire service.

Attached you will find a information on Sparkles' Memorial pathway on the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Walk of Honor in Emmitsburg, Maryland at the National Fire Academy campus.

You have two options for ordering bricks (please note the first option has very short deadline of December 31): 1)The first bricks will be laid in June. In order to have your bricks laid at that time, please contact Judy Whitlow at 301-447-7913 December 30th (she will be in the office the rest of the day today and from the 27th-30th) 2) All breaks ordered after December 31 will be placed on Sparkles' walkway at a later time.

A memorial service is being planned for June in Emmitsburg. More information will be forthcoming.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Happy Holiday Greetings from our Friends at the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation


Happy Holidays from our friends at the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation.

The Foundation Board and staff would like to thank you for helping support the foundation and its programs.


Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog Featured in New Book by Happy Tails Books


The fire safety dogs and I are honored that Sparkles is one of the 60 dogs featured in a new book by Happy Tails Books, entitled, "Lost Souls: Found! Inspiring Stories About Dogs." The book can be found at www.happytailsbooks.com or Amazon.com.



Happy Tails Books donates a significant portion of proceeds back to the rescue groups who help gather stories for the books. Sparkles was rescued by the Dalmatian Assistance League of Tulsa.

You may find the book preview HERE.

New Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog Column on Sparkles' Kids Zone on firelife.com!

Check out the fire safety dog's recent appearance on Rainbow's Rescue Romp with our friend Rainbow Diamond, fan photos, and more!

Click on the picture below to see all the fun!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

New Coloring Page!


Attention kids, parents, teachers and fire departments. Have you checked out Sparkles the Fire Safety Dogs' fun fire safety activity and coloring pages? Check them out! We're adding new ones all of the time! Just click on the picture of Sparkles to see more!

Webmasters and bloggers: Please feel free to add this button to help spread the fire safety message. Together, we can help keep children and their caregivers fire safe!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

New Sparkles Kids Zone Column on firelife.com!


Sparkles' new column is out on her Kids Zone page on the Firelife.com site!
Click on the picture to see her column and even download a free coloring page!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog Ringtone now Available for iPhone Users


Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog ringtone by Michael Post and Roger Haak now available for iPhone users. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation.

Order directly on your iPhone.

Kids love it!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Winner of the Latest Guessing Contest!

Congratulations to Lynne Linger and her two dals, Delainey and Sparky (Delainey is on the left, Lynne in the middle and Sparky on the right), for winning our latest guessing contest!



The contest was very simple. People had to guess how many pictures that they thought I would take when I went to pick up Siren. Lynne was right on the money and won a autographed and "pawtographed" copy of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog and a combination Smoke / CO alarm from our friends at First Alert!

I was so busy with my new little guy that day, that I hardly took any pictures! Lynne commented on her note to us, "I was very excited to win your contest (guessing how many pictures you would take the weekend you brought Siren home) and I thank you for the nice prizes! I've been watching Siren grow on Facebook and you're doing a great job with him. Good luck with him, Tango and your fire safety program!"


Thanks, Lynne, and congratulations!

Friday, November 5, 2010

The Thoughtfulness of Others....

Thanks to the thoughtfulness of artist Carol Chretien, the fire safety dogs and I will have yet another way to help carry on the work of Sparkles through the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation. The painting will help us raise funds for the foundation, and will, in turn, help the foundation provide low or no cost fire safety materials to children, fire departments, schools and other organizations.

Carol is in the process of making a beautiful painting of Siren and is donating the painting to the fire safety dogs and myself. Prints of the painting as well as other items will be available with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the foundation.

Carol has entitled her painting, "Siren's Call."

Below are some pictures of the painting's progress. We can hardly wait to see the finished piece!




October 28th

November 3rd

November 7th


November 15

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog 1998-2010



Dear friends~

It is with great sadness to share with you that my best friend, Sparkles, passed away on October 25th.

Even though she is gone, her message of helping keep people safe from fire will live on.

Please pray for her, her family, her fire service family, and for all of the many people, especially children, of whose lives she has touched.

More information will follow. Memorial service arrangements pending.

Memorial contributions to help continue the work of Sparkles may be made to the

Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation.

Sparkles obit on Fire Chief Magazine's website.

Sparkles' Bio.

Sparkles' Video.

Post by Frankie the Walk 'n Roll Dog.

Post by Kids Firefighter Blog.

Daryn Kagan Video about Sparkles (courtesy of darynkagan.com)

To leave a note on Sparkles' Facebook page, please click HERE. You may also leave your comment below. Your words are very healing.
Thank you so much. Dayna, Tango, and Siren


Saturday, October 23, 2010

New Siren the Fire Safety Dog Coloring Page!

Hi boys and girls!

Do you like coloring pages? This is a coloring page of my new little brother, Siren the Fire Safety Dog. If so, this one is just for you! Click on the picture below to go to the page!





A special thank you to my friend, Eileen, for drawing this wonderful picture of Siren!

Send me a picture of you with your page, and I will post your picture on my blog! Have fun and stay safe!


Love,













Attention kids, parents, teachers and fire departments. Have you checked out Sparkles the Fire Safety Dogs' fun fire safety activity and coloring pages? Check them out! We're adding new ones all of the time! Just click on the picture of Sparkles to see more!

Please feel free to add this button to help spread the fire safety message. Together, we can help keep children and their caregivers fire safe!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Sparkles Goes to Boston Northeast Book Tour October 2010


October 5 – 18, 2010

October 5
Fire safety dogs head for Southborough, MA
October 6
10:30 A.M. Visit Shawn’s school with Firefighter Jim
October 10
11:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. Visit with fire safety program donor
October 11
10:00 A.M. Heritage Day Parade (Southborough)
11:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. Heritage Day Festivities
October 12
9:30 - 11:30 A.M. Mary Finn School
1:00 - 3:00 P.M. Neary School
October 13
9:35 A.M. FOX 25 Boston (streaming live on myfoxboston.com)
1:30 P.M. Visit Steven’s school

October 14
9:00 A.M Skype visit with school in Ohio (Firefighter Jim to participate)
10:30 A.M. Village Preschool
1:30 P.M. Steven’s school
4:00 P.M. Southborough Library
October 15
10:30 A.M. Village Preschool
October 16
10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Book release event at the Southborough Fire Department for Sparkles Goes to Boston
3:00 P.M Gathering for Sparkles’ Facebook Dal friends ~ Southborough

October 18
Leave for Arkansas


For more information on the Sparkles Goes to Boston Book Tour, please visit http://www.sparklesgoestoboston.com

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Firefighter Jim Peltier and Firefighter Dayna will be live on the FOX 25 Boston Morning Show

On October 13th, Firefighter Jim Peltier, Firefighter Dayna and Tango the Fire Safety Dog, will be live on the FOX 25 Boston Morning Show to promote the new children's book, Sparkles Goes to Boston. The broadcast will be streamed live at myFOXboston.com at 9:35 EST. Join us to learn all about our big adventure to help keep children safe with our latest fire safety book. Sparkles Goes to Boston is based on the Southborough Fire Department and the most up-to-date children's fire safety book on the market.


To learn more about Sparkles Goes to Boston, please visit the Sparkles Goes to Boston website.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Announcing the Latest Addition to our Fire Safety Family

Please help me welcome Siren the Fire Safety Dog!


Firefighter Dayna, Tango and I are so excited that we will have a new edition to our family and fire safety team! It is so much fun having a little brother!

My new little brother is two months old and he came to live with us a week ago. We have had so much fun getting to know each other!

His mother is Whoopie of Dalmino Dals and Jack of NspirD Dalmatians.

Here is Siren's mom:

Here's Siren's dad, Jack:


Jack is one of the top sires of Champions with 82 sons and daughters earning titles. He is the most winning Dalmatian of all time with 427 wins.

The first thing that Siren did when he got to his new home with me and Tango, was check his email. Silly dog!

See more pix of the big day HERE.

Siren also has a new Facebook page. Be sure to check it out! He'll also have fire safety tips on his Facebook page, just like me!

Until next time, stay safe everyone!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Meet our new fire safety dog puppy, LIVE, tonight!


Join us this evening at 7:00 p.m. CST as we introduce to the world the latest addition to our family and fire safety team, an eight week old Dalmatian puppy, complete with the prettiest blue eyes you have ever seen! We will be streaming live from Arkansas onto your computer!

In tonight’s live streaming event, we will let you meet the little guy and will reveal his name.

If you join Stickam (it’s free) before the event, and you will be able to have a more interactive experience with us (you also have the ability to watch without joining, however, it won't be as much fun ).

Hope you can make it! He is one adorable little guy and he can’t wait to meet you!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Meet my new little brother, live on the web!

The time is almost here! Meet my new little brother, the newest fire safety dog, as we welcome him to our fire safety family. Be the first to learn his name during this event!


I am one excited big sister! I can't wait to teach him everything that he needs to know about being a fire safety dog!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

New Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog Coloring Book Released!

My new book is here!


So very excited that my new coloring book, Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog Coloring Book, was released yesterday!

What's so cool about this coloring book is that it goes along well with my
other two books, Sparkles Goes to Boston and Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, or it goes well when you just read it by itself. Either way, it's alot of fun!

Inside the coloring book!

Boys and girls, you can learn how I lived my dream of becoming a real fire safety dog, and, you can learn some really cool fire safety tips that will help keep you and your family safe! How cool is that?

The book was written by Firefighter Dayna, and my friend, Eileen Edwards, drew all of the really amazing pictures!


Tango with his copy of my coloring book!

FACT SHEET
PRESS RELEASE

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Updated Appearance Schedule

Fire Safety Dog’s Schedule

September 26 Puppy arrives
October 5 Fire safety dogs head for Southborough, MA
October 7 and 8 Visit school in Rhode Island
October 11 10:00 A.M. Heritage Day Parade (Southborough)
11:00 A.M. -2:00 P.M. Heritage Day Festivities
October 14 4:00 P.M. Southborough Library
October 16 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Book release event at the Southborough Fire Department for Sparkles Goes to Boston
October 21 2:00 P.M. Clarksville Rotary
October 22 All day~ Clarksville Primary School
November 22 Celia Clinton Elementary, Tulsa, Oklahoma, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Tulsa

Thursday, September 9, 2010


New fire safety puppy coming soon!

Firefighter Dayna, Tango and I are so excited that we will have a new edition to our family and fire safety team! It will be so much fun having a little brother!

My new little brother is five and a half weeks old and will spend another two and a half weeks with his mom and littermates. Until then, we are getting ready for his big arrival!


We will be announcing his name very soon!

You're invited!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

New Book Catalog from Firehouse Dog Publishing

Hi! This is Sparkles!

Firefighter Dayna and I are very excited that my publishing house, Firehouse Dog Publishing, has released its 2010 Book Catalog! You can even catch a sneak peek at my new children's fire safety books that are coming out soon!

Click on the picture below to view the catalog.



Fire Departments, schools and other organizations may contact info@firehousedogpublishing to learn about volume pricing.

Have a fire safe day!

Love,

Sparkles

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Invite Author Dayna Hilton and Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog into your classroom or library to video chat via Skype!


Teachers~

Imagine your students meeting a real fire safety dog!

Invite Author Dayna Hilton and Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog into your classroom or library to video chat via Skype!

During this fun, educational one hour program, your students will meet a real fire safety dog, listen to Firefighter Dayna read one of her children’s fire safety books, sing fire safety songs along with Sparkles and be sworn in as Jr. Firefighters by Sparkles and Firefighter Dayna!

Want to know how Sparkles became a fire safety dog or what a typical day is like at the fire station? The program will also include a question and answer time in which your students can ask these questions and more!

Have special needs? We can help meet those needs! Your presentation will be adapted to the age of your students so that appropriate fire safety educational messages will be shared. If multiple classes are grouped together for a presentation, it is suggested that the students are close in age.

The one hour program includes:

• Introduction of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog
• Sparkles’ story via Power Point
• Video of Sparkles demonstrating how to crawl low under smoke
• Selected reading
• Singing of fire safety song
• Jr. Firefighter Oath
• Q & A

Students will learn four valuable fire safety messages that will help keep them
and their family fire safe. These messages include:

• Recognizing the firefighter as a helper and a friend
• Knowing the sound and purpose of a smoke alarm
• Understanding the importance of practicing a home fire drill using an escape map
• Knowing when and how to crawl low under smoke

Contact Firefighter Dayna and Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog to work with you to create a custom program to suit your needs. For available dates and fees, please contact Hilton. More information is also available on their
Skype an Author site.

Skype Author Teachers Guide now available. Contains everything you need to know for a successful visit with Hilton and Sparkles via Skype.

Book Your Skype Visit with Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog!




Join me on Facebook!

Whoo hoo! My Facebook page is getting close to reaching the 2,700 friend mark. Won't you join me on Facebook? I'd love to be friends!

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Whooo hoooo! Check out the August issue of Parents Magazine


I am so excited that my friend, Angelica, and me, are featured in this month’s issue of
Parents Magazine in the full page article, “Kindergartner Saves Dad from Burning Home.” How cool is that?

From what Firefighter Dayna tells me, the magazine is seen by over 15.3 million people. How cool is that?

The article shares the story of how my friend, Angelica, was able to save herself and her dad, Kenneth, from their burning home. Angelica had attended a fire safety presentation at her school that Firefighter Dayna and I did, just two months prior. Angelica said that she "knew exactly what to do” to save herself and her father by crawling low under the smoke to get out of the house. Isn't that pawesome?


To learn more about me, visit my website!

Printable version of Press Release

Story from my friend, Beverley Walker


My good friend, Beverley, shared this wonderful photo with me.

Bev is a fire safety educator and uses my book,
Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, when she reads to children. What is really fun about this photo, is that the teacher and students didn't know that Bev was going to be reading our book and that Bev personally knew Sparkles. Imagine Bev's surprise when they handed her this poster!

Pawsome, Bev! Thanks for sharing!


Friday, July 23, 2010

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog and Author Dayna Hilton Celebrating Release!

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog and Author Dayna Hilton are celebrating the release of the 2nd edition of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog! After a successful print of 15,000 of the first edition, the new edition is now available by ordering at your local bookstore and on Amazon.com.

A portion of the proceeds benefit the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation.



Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Daryn Kagan Makes Inspirational Video about Sparkles the FIre Safety Dog


High paw to Daryn Kagan for helping share my story and the fire safety message! I'd also like to thank Daryn for including me in her second book, all about inspiring animals and featuring her 3-legged wonder cat, Tripod that will be published by Guideposts Books in April 2011. I am truly honored!




Daryn Kagan is the creator and host of DarynKagan.com, an inspirational online community that features a daily Web cast of stories that, "Show the World What is Possible." DarynKagan.com has become a daily destination for thousands of Internet users who seek news stories that inspire. Launched in November 2006, the Atlanta Journal Constitution described DarynKagan.com as "a lively gathering spot," while the Boston Globe noted DarynKagan.com is "bucking the media tide," with its "emphasis on stories that illustrate the triumph of the human spirit."

Before heading into cyberspace, Daryn anchored both news and sports for CNN. Described by the Los Angeles Times as a "CNN mainstay," Daryn traveled the world during her 12-year tenure at CNN, and reported live on-site during numerous global events, including the war in Iraq from Kuwait. Daryn also reported from Africa during a 10-day tour with rock band U2's Bono and U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, and provided the CNN News networks with in-depth reports on AIDS and famine. Her reports were featured on CNN.com, along with a daily blog that chronicled her reports, experiences, and travels in Africa. Additionally, Daryn reported from across the U.S. to cover numerous Presidential elections, the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, and the hunt for the Washington, D.C. sniper.

Daryn was on the air live during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. She reported throughout that day and covered the unfolding event from CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta, as well as from the network's Washington, D.C., bureau, as the crisis turned into a search-and-rescue mission that evolved into a war on terrorism. Before joining the news team on CNN, Daryn served as a news anchor and reporter for CNN/Sports Illustrated, the 24-hour sports news network from CNN and Sports Illustrated, covering such major events as the Super Bowl, the NBA playoffs and international figure skating.

To read more inspirational stories, visit Daryn's site HERE.

Thanks, Daryn!

Stay safe everyone!