Fire Safety Week

KIMBERTON FIREFIGHTERS VISIT ZION LUTHERAN FOR FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

Monday and Tuesday October 11th & 12th 2004. This years special guest was the Fire Company's newly acquired Sparky. Sparky drove around and interacted with all the children after all the classes had finished their individual session with firefighters. Also this year firefighters spend additional time teaching & reviewing:  Stop - Drop - Roll -Cover Your face.

Career and volunteer fighters from the Kimberton Fire Department went to the Zion Lutheran Day Care Center to visit with pre-schoolers and begin their early recognition of the fire service. Firefighters came in on two separate days to make sure all the classes had a chance to meet and work with the fire crews.

Each class was brought out to the engine and began with some interaction about what items a firefighter might need to wear at a fire. As the children mentioned the item another crewmember would don that article of clothing until they were fully suited up to do battle. After putting on the face piece to the air mask the firefighter would get down with the children and allow them to look closely at the scary outfit and hear what it sounds like when the firefighter breaths air. Children have been known to refer to this part as the Scary Monster and Firefighters know well how they need to change this fear early on. The firefighter must build a bond with children so they never fear the gear or air pack. Crews then attempt to get the children to do “High-Fives” with them in a continued effort to get them up close and build that trust factor.

Allowing the children to climb aboard the rig and look up close then completes the session. Pictures are often taken by teachers and parents as their children get to sit in the drivers seat and on occasion even hit the air horn.

Firefighters Dustin Vaughn & Andy O'Donnell Speak to children about what a firefighter wears	Children get to hear what the firefighter in an air pack sounds like	Dustin Vaughn talks on Stop-Drop-Roll and cover your face (children can be seen holding their artificial fire)
Student participates in practical stop-drop-roll scenario	Sparky drives around & meets some of the children	Career Firefighter Mike Risell & Dustin Vaughn speak to children next to engine
Children can be seen lined up along back driveway awaiting their chance to speak with Sparky	Sparky interacts with children	Sparky interacts with children
Sparky interacts with children	Sparky interacts with children	Mike Risell review Stop-Drop-Roll with a class. The children can be seen holding their paper fire for the scenario