AMERICUS — Prevention Specialist Danetta Warren with the Americus Fire and Emergency Services (AFES) has an interesting hobby of sorts.

Well, it is a hobby of prevention. Warren has been on a mission, a mission that most firefighters take, and that is to “serve and protect.” Last week, at the Americus City Council meeting, Warren’s mission took on a whole new level when the City Council of Americus adopted an ordinance to prohibit the retail sale, gift or distribution of novelty lighters within the City of Americus.

With the support of Fire Chief Allen Erkhart and others in the department, early last year after attending an educational conference at the GPST Center in Forsyth, Warren began a research in the dangers of novelty lighters.

“Basically, the ordinance bans the sales of toylike/novelty lighters. Children can’t define the difference between the toys and the real thing,” said Warren.

“And some adults can’t either,” said Warren.

Warren started collecting novelty lighters and put together a display of 80 items purchased from local retail stores and more in the arae.

Warren, Firefighters Glenn Howard, Todd Shufflebarger and Capt. Al Erkhart, joined by Chief Allen Erkhart, sorted through the display case of novelty ligthers and were amazed at how very similar to toys they were.

“I spoke with someone from Little Rock, Ark., and he told me that there were two children, a 15 month-old and a 2 year-old who were playing on the bed with a motorcycle novelty lighter, and it caused a fire. They died,” said Warren.

Shufflebarger held a toy John Deere tractor in one hand, and a novelty lighter shaped the same in the other. Until he lit the lighter up, one couldn’t tell the difference between the two. “It is a shame,” he said.

“Parents don’t know. We had one mother who bought this for her daughter,” Warren said, pointing to a dog lighter that played music.

“She didn’t realize it was a lighter until her daughter was playing with it and she saw flame,” said Warren.

Chief Erkhart said, “The novelty lighters catch the kids’ attention. They are usually kept close to the counters at stores.”

“I think the city is going to give the stores leeway to get rid of them, and then after that, fines will be determined by the judge,” said Erkhart, who added, “We had a fire recently at an apartment on Forsyth Street where a child had been playing with a lighter.”

Warren is available to talk to organizations, school groups or churches on the dangers of lighters and novelty lighters.

Chief Erkhart said, “I am real proud of her. She has put a lot of effort in getting the sale of novelty lighters banned.”

Warren just shrugged humbly, “It is about keeping our kids safe.”

For more information, call 924-2261 or 938-3664.

The city ordinance banning the sale of novelty lighters took effect last Thursday.