North Texas

#SomethingGood: McKinney Firefighter, Clown Recognized for Service, Teaching Kids Fire Safety

McKinney fire veteran, Jason Newell, is being recognized for his over-sized shoes and even bigger heart.

A group of North Texas firefighters are finding unique ways to keep kids safe by instilling lifesaving skills in a truly unforgettable way.

Now, McKinney fire veteran, Jason Newell, is being recognized for his over-sized shoes and even bigger heart.

"We teach life and fire education," Newell said.

He and his buddies have found a way to really put the "fun" in fire safety fundamentals.

"We are clowns," he explained. "What we do kind of defies general logic. I’m certainly not a superhero. I’m just a guy trying to do something a little bit unorthodox."

Newell is known to McKinney children as Siren the Clown. He’s a part of the McTown Klowns group which goes around to schools putting on skits and performances with safety at heart.

Newell (and Siren) have been recognized for his contribution to public education.

"I just received the Brian Collins [Fire and Life Safety Memorial Award ] Award," Newell explained.

The award is named for Fort Worth Fire Lieutenant Brian 'Spanner' Collins who was killed in the line of duty in 1999. Collins was seen as a pioneer in the use of "characterization and puppetry" to teach life and fire safety.

"We’ve had fires where kids have told the investigators that they knew how to get out of the house and they knew exactly what to do because of what they learned in our clown program," Newell said.

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