Fire Safety Week

Last week was Fire Safety Week.  All the school kids, including Caleb's preschool class, were taught fire safety throughout the week.  The week finished for a few of the younger classes with a walking field trip to the Eddyville Firestation.  Caleb was very excited to see the fire engines up close and personal!  And, of course, I was there to capture the moments in pictures!



On our way!




In the foreground of the picture is the preschool classes, waiting patiently for the kindergartners to finish up with their trip.  They are sitting so quiet!




The kids were thrilled to see the high pressure water squirting as far as the pump could....




...the adults, however, were running for dry ground!  The water was sprayed into the wind and anyone within standing distance got sprayed!




Both preschool classes lookin' sharp for a group picture! 




We then headed inside to check out the indoor equipment and to receive a few instructions from the two firemen leading the day.  The kids were super!  You would think getting 30+  over-excited preschoolers together would be begging for stress, but I thought they were great!





I feel horrible that I can't remember this fire fighter's name, but he's gotta be referred to...so I'll refer to him as Mr. Firefighter Chief Man.  Mr. Firefighter Chief Man was discussing with the children what they should do if they are asleep and hear that a fire has started.  I say "discussing" because, while most of the kids were pretty quiet, there were a couple more outspoken kids who held nothing back!  Made for cute answers to his questions :-)




And then Firefighter John came out with his safety duds on.  Caleb later admitted that it was kind of scary to see him all dressed that way, but it wasn't scared anymore.  That was good to hear!




Firefight John went through all his safety gear, explaining what each piece was and how it worked.  There were even a couple of pieces that I didn't know existed (not that I know all that much about fire suits and equipment).  He also informed us that all the fighters just got new suits, which costed $10,000 each!




Back outdoors, the firemen went through the truck showing the kids all the equipment stored on it for emergency use.  Two of the more interesting things I remember were the life saving disc that are used when someone is in water trouble and .....




....these, the Jaws of Life.  I'd never seen a pair up close but they looked like they could certainly do some damage! Caleb is the kid in the middle of the picture in the striped shirt and the Jaws of Life are the things that Mr. Firefighter Chief Man is holding that looks like they're right about his head about ready to give him a haircut!





After all the demonstrations and explanations were given, it was time to climb inside!  The kids were allowed to sit in the back seat, three at a time.




Caleb with classmate Kaitlyn, all strapped in and ready to go! 




After trying on the firefighter seats and harnesses for size, the kids got a chance to regulate the valve that adjusts the water pressure from the hose.... but that picture disappeared somewhere into the "accidentally deleted pictures" file. 
After running the hose, we walked back to school.  I think the kids and adults alike had a great time!



On the way home from school, I quizzed Caleb on several of the things they had learned during Fire Safety Week and was quite impressed with not only how much the class covered, but how much Caleb remembered!  I was also very pleased when I asked him if he remembered some of the things we'd already talked about at home, like what to do if there is a fire, how to get out and where we would all meet.  And he remembered!  Woohoo!