Children from the Messiah Lutheran pre-school and pre-kinder class toured West Benton Fire Rescue on March 26, 2018. Each child was able to learn about the fire department, climb on a fire engine, and had time to interact with firefighters who taught them about the importance of fire safety.
Oftentimes, children will panic and hide during an emergency, so the goal is to show them that firefighters are real people who want to help them. Having these types of interactions with children during a stress free field trip gives children a chance to see firefighter without all their heavy gear on, learn about protective clothing, and then see a firefighter in full rescue gear. West Benton Fire Rescue personnel explained to the students that if they ever become trapped in their home during a fire, they might encounter rescuers dressed in their full rescue gear.
West Benton Fire Rescue firefighters reviewed safety measures with each of the classes, including learning the steps of “stop, drop, and roll,” as a way to extinguish a fire and how to check to see if a door is hot or cold before opening it. Firefighters also taught each class the importance of smoke detectors, to call 9-1-1 in an emergency, and to have a meeting place outside of the home. The kids learned safety awareness tips and got an up-close-and-personal look at a fire truck. They also watched a demonstration of a firefighter suiting up, just like they do at the station during an emergency call.
Studies show that a personal visit with firefighters has proven to teach young children that they do not need to fear responders in the event of a fire. “We would like to thank the teachers and staff for bringing each class to our department and helping expose children to fire safety.” Captain Bowden said. “We believe that learning about firefighters is not only entertaining for both us and the children, but will help them in case a real emergency were to happen in their homes.”
West Benton Fire Rescue had a great day with Messiah Lutheran pre-school and pre-kinder classes! If your school would like to schedule a tour at West Benton Fire Rescue please call 509-786-3873 for more information.
