Company’s virtual Junior Fire Marshal^® Day supports efforts of local fire departments across the country aiming to fill the gap in fire safety education

The Hartford, which has provided fire-safety education to more than 111 million children since 1947, deputized more than 65,000 new Junior Fire Marshals in one day as part of its second annual Junior Fire Marshal Day. The company created the live, virtual fire-safety event in 2020 to address the critical lack of in-person, fire-safety education available to elementary school students because of the pandemic. On Oct. 5, thousands of kindergarten through third-grade students in more than 200 cities across the country participated in the live-stream event as part of Fire Prevention Week.

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Barbara Fisher's first-grade classroom from Seiberling Community Learning Center in Akron, Ohio participates in National Junior Fire Marshal Day. (Photo: Business Wire)

“We value our long-standing partnerships with local fire departments and continue to work with them to adapt fire safety education to meet the varied needs of today's elementary school classroom,” said The Hartford’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Claire Burns. “Our Junior Fire Marshal Day program enabled thousands of kindergarten through third-grade students across the country to be together virtually and learn the life-saving lessons they need to help keep themselves and their families safe.”

Led by a teacher and a firefighter, along with the partnership of the Safe Community Project and the Glendale, Calif. Fire Department, 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 fire station tour 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.

“As the pandemic continues to affect Americans across the country, fire safety education programs, such as The Hartford’s Junior Fire Marshal program, are essential to keeping our most vulnerable population safe,” said Glendale, Calif. Fire Chief Silvio Lanzas. “With so many children still unable to learn fire safety in-person, connecting with them through this program will help to keep them and their families fire safe. I am proud to be a part of this wonderful program and look forward to its impact on our youth.”

Parents and educators nationwide can view a replay of the event 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. 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.

In 2020, The Hartford committed to educating an additional 1.5 million students in kindergarten through third grade and donating more than $1.5 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.

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