Myers students get lesson in fire prevention
Second grade teacher Mrs. Naylor poses after trying on full fire fighting gear at Excelsior.
Members of Pinecroft Fire Dept. and Bellwood Excelsior No. 1 Fire Dept. went through their yearly fire prevention exercises with Myers Elementary last Friday, passing on tips for preventing and surviving a fire.
The day was hosted at Excelsior Fire Dept. and covered SCBA ( self contained breathing apparatuses), the gear firefighters wear, stop drop and roll, 911, look at the trucks, and seeing what firefighters do when getting ready for a call.
The importance of fire prevention is to teach the community members of all ages the importance of safety and protection to help prevent fires and fire deaths.
In one real-life lesson, while students were learning about fire trucks both Excelsior and Pinecroft were dispatched for a vehicle fire on the interstate, and they were able to fill a truck and still keep fire prevention going with no problems.
Tommy Whiteford is chairman of the fire prevention committee at Excelsior.
“Every year we create a book for Central District Volunteer Fireman’s Association, we have finished in the top 2 for our category every year since 2016,” he said.
Whiteford’s favorite thing about fire prevention is teaching the kids and seeing them at other events. “ They come up and tell us they remember what we taught them and use it at home to make safety plans and get their parents involved,” said Whiteford.
Myers principal Mr. Matthew Stinson said he was appreciative of the way the fire departments went “above and beyond” to provide an informative learning experience.
“We are so grateful for the partnership that we have with the local fire departments and we appreciate all they do not only during Fire Prevention Awareness but throughout the year,” he said. “Education does not just take place in the classroom, but out in the community too! They say ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and we are truly blessed to live in a town where the community organizations play such a critical role in the education of our children.”
