You're Never Too Young to Learn About Fire Safety

Every year, Lawrence Township’s volunteer and career firefighters visit the township’s elementary schools to discuss fire safety and prevention with grade school students.

According to statistics compiled by the National Fire Protection Association, children under the age of 5, along with senior citizens, have the highest risk of dying or being injured in a residential fire.

Recognizing how important it is to teach fire safety to the very young, volunteer firefighters from on Thursday, April 14, and Friday, April 15, visited to talk to the preschoolers, who range in age from 2 to 4.

The volunteers showed the children a fire engine and the different types of tools that firefighters use. They also spoke to the children about what to do if there ever was to be a fire in their home – from what 911 is and what to do if a to how to crawl low to the ground to stay out of the smoke and how to go to a window to call for help if they can’t get out of their bedrooms.

One of the most important parts of the volunteers’ presentation came when one of the firefighters donned all his protective clothing – boots, pants, coat, gloves, hood and helmet – and put on a self-contained breathing apparatus. The mask of the “air pack” completely covered the firefighter’s face and, as he breathed, his voice sounded like Darth Vader from the “Star Wars” movies.

The firefighter then got down and allowed the children to touch his gloves and other gear and hear him speak through the mask. The goal was to show the children that they have nothing to fear from firefighters even though firefighters look weird and sometimes scary with all their gear on. The children were told never to hide in a closest or under their beds during a fire and instead to call out and go to firefighters.

After the firefighters’ presentation was over, the children were allowed to sit in the fire engine and were each later given a set of “goodies” that included a plastic fire helmet, fire safety coloring book, sticker and water bottle.