ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – October 6 – 12 is Fire Prevention Week. To raise awareness among young people, the Escanaba Public Safety Department is visiting local schools throughout the week.
On Thursday, students at Webster Kindergarten Center got to see a firetruck, spray the hose, and even sit in the driver’s seat. Escanaba Public Safety also brought a smoke house, with simulated smoke and heated doors. Students climbed down a ladder from the upper level of the smoke house to get to safety.
Officials also taught students what to do if they find themselves in a burning building, how to contact first responders, and what to expect when Public Safety arrives to put out the fire. Escanaba Public Safety Captain Darren Smith says equipping children with life-saving information at a young age is crucial.
“It’s really important if the fire department’s there to help them and they’re in the house to make sure that they’re not going to hide, so they’re not afraid of a firefighter,” Smith said. “We get the firefighters in the gear, get them talking to the kids, interact with them, bridge that gap so if they do have an emergency, they’re going to come to us rather than try to hide from us.”
Public Safety officials sent students home with an assignment. Each kindergartener was tasked with talking to their famly about a safe place where they can meet outside their home in the event of a fire.
