By Brian McCauley
Miami County Republic – October 16, 2013
Cottonwood Elementary kindergartners listen to Paola volunteer firefighters (from left) Eric Barnum and Dylan Town explain the importance of smoke detectors. Kindergartner Dru Smothers was selected to help display the smoke detector to his classmates. The firefighters spoke to students Thursday for National Fire Prevention Week, which was Oct. 6-12. Photo by Brian McCauley.
Firefighters were spreading a message of safety last week in honor of Fire Prevention Week.
Paola firefighter Joe Flake presented Mayor Artie Stuteville with a proclamation, which she read during the Oct. 8 Paola City Council meeting, recognizing Oct. 6-12 as national Fire Prevention Week. Flake said Fire Prevention Week always is scheduled for the week that includes Oct. 9, in memory of the Great Chicago Fire, which killed more than 100 people on Oct. 8, 9 and 10 in 1871.
Safety and prevention was the main message last week, and Flake said safe cooking practices are particularly important to learn because cooking is the leading cause of house fires in the United States.
Students at Cottonwood Elementary got to meet some firefighters firsthand Thursday when volunteers Eric Barnum and Dylan Town showed off their fire fighting equipment outside the school. The students learned to check the batteries in their smoke detectors and memorize their address in case they need to call 911.
The students also got their very own plastic fire helmets, and they even got to sit inside a fire truck.
“It’s basically like a big toolbox,” Barnum said. “We bring whatever we need with us.”
Be First to Comment