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Permalink Reply by Jeff Teeters on April 8, 2013 at 8:51am

  During Fire Prevention Week, we take our rigs to our elementary schools (3), and to every daycare in the City.  Usually, we try and stick pretty closely to the FPW Annual theme, while still teaching Stop, Drop, and Roll, Staying low and crawling, Emergency Exit Drills In The Home (EEDITH).  We have a Firefighter gear up and talk to the kids and do the "Firefighters are your Friends" spiel.  FirePup is a pretty big hit as well.  They all love him.

Also, throughout the year we do station tours for our local cub scouts and girl scouts.  We show them the trucks, turn on the siren, etc.  It's really a good deal for everybody.

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Permalink Reply by James Borsellino on April 10, 2013 at 10:17pm

I have been invlved in a few different programs. i was invlvoed in fire safety for babysitters, covers alot of info for 12 year olds and their responsiblities to protect the kids they were watching.

My crew was involved in secondary programs, alot of the same info, but you have to adjust your delivery.

The program I have enjoyed the most and it was just because of my kid's grade one class career day. I did too good of a job, I'm going into my 10th year and they have me come in last because no one wants to follow me!......lol

You just have to have fun with it! Thats my secret! I love firefighting! Let the kids see that! If you are passionate with what you are doing, they will be interested!

 

Kids want to see things and touch things! BUT You have to lay down the ground rules with them first!

I tell them what they can touch and can not! I explain that every tool we use is designed to destroy thing. This makes them very dangerous!

I do not pass around things like axes, pry bars, haligan tools or pry axes.Too sharp and too dangerous. If I have time I will hod the axe and let them hold the handle.

Helmets are the big thing! i do not let them wear my helmets. they are too heavy for their necks! There has been documented cases of kids playing with fire helmets and stepping wrong and the weight actually cracked their vertibrae. The other consideration is head lice! I dont want that in my helmet or to pass it on!

 

What I did to help this want for the kids to try on helmets was to get light weight woodland helmets and I bought hair nets for the kids to wear! They even get a kick out of the hair nets!

I talk about what each piece of equipment does, just briefly. I will pass around nozzles. But remember, they cause a distraction so you limit yourself while they are checking them out and can be tough to keep them focused.

 

I talk about smoke and heat, why we wear SCBAs and bunker gear. Show them how each piece comes together to completly cover us! And yes I get completly suited up! I usually have another set of gear to suit up their teacher as well!

While you are all of the demonstrations or show and tell, work in all the stuff that John said as well. If you mix it into the tools and equipment it doesnt get dry for the kids!

 

So here is the list of things I take

nozzles, 1.5, 2.5,  play pipe  

Pick headed axe(fireman's)

Pry axe

Pike pole

Haligan bar

different colour helmets (red, White, Black)

bunker gear

Flashlight

Radio

SCBA

Length of hose 1.5 and 2.5

First-aid bag

 

And finally! Remember one thing, you are a stranger to them, dont stand over them! I'm a big guy, I always sit down on one of their small class room chairs. It brings me down to their level and I talk too them not at them! Yes you will have to stand from time to time to show them things, but try to stay at their level for the start!.

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