It was a Sea of Purple
CHESTERFIELD, MA – For almost 2 decades, Goshen Fire Chief Sue Labrie has coordinated the volunteer efforts donated by members of the Chesterfield and Goshen fire departments to teach students from Pre-Kindergarten through 6th grade about the fire safety and all that it entails.
Making a Difference
The day opened with an assembly in the gymnasium where students were welcomed and winners of the Dangers of Tobacco Poster contest were announced. The rest of the day was dedicated to the following age-appropriate series of events, and training sessions:
- Mini-muster – This includes a midnight alarm, hose and nozzle use and rescuing “Jeff” from a ‘burning’ building (4th, 5th, and 6th graders).
- SAFE Trailer – a trailer which teaches home hazards and exit plans which simulates three common rooms in a house (2nd – 6th grades).
- Hazard House – a small replica of a home used to teach home fire safety and hot spots (Kindergarten – 3rd grade).
- Fire Safety Skills Reinforcement area – firefighters will show and then watch students perform different fire safety skills – Stop, Drop and Roll, Crawl Low Under Smoke, and Feel the Door Before Opening (pre-K – 2nd grades).
- Firefighters Gear and SCBA Station – a firefighter will explain the importance of each piece of our gear as the gear is put on. Then younger students will be able to try on child-sized gear (pre-K – 2nd grades).
- First Aid – a firefighter will teach students how they can help themselves and others when injury occurs (3rd, 4th and 6th grades).
- Firefighter Technology – Thermal imaging camera, hot stick (4th, 5th and 6th grades).
- Outdoor Fire Safety – Tells the story of Smokey Bear and teaches how to safely have and extinguish an outdoor camp fire (Kindergarten – 3rd grades).
- Stranger Danger – Police officer teaching students to be aware of their surroundings (2nd – 5th grades).
- Jeopardy – Students team up and are quizzed on fire safety related answers that were presented to them throughout the school year (5th – 6th grades).
While each item on the menu of events for the day could easily have been the top ten list, the general consensus was that the popsicles distributed during lunch break was the hit of the day.
One student enthusiastically exclaimed “How could this day be any more fun!”
