Fire Prevention Day Brought

Firefighters To Hawley

By Eliza Hallabeck

Students at Hawley Elementary School had a few visitors on Thursday, October 16. Firefighters from Newtown Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Company, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company, and Botsford Fire-Rescue Company showed the students what to expect and what to do in the event of an emergency.

“This is a collaborative effort today between the departments,” said firefighter Bob Nute of Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue before he went into a kindergarten classroom to demonstrate fire safety situations, with the help of John Facto from Botsford.

Mr Nute began the presentation for Kathy Leja’s kindergarten class by asking the students why they wear a helmet when they ride a bicycle. He explained to them that the helmet keeps them safe, and there are a few things to do when understanding fire safety that can be as helpful as wearing a helmet while riding a bike.

The first thing he told students to do when they get home is to talk with their parents about setting up a meeting place where they can meet in the event of an emergency.

“It should be in the front yard,” Mr Nute said. “Right next to the driveway, so I can see you. That way I know everyone is out of the house.”

If students find themselves caught in their bedrooms or another room and there is a fire, Mr Nute said the best thing to do when trying to get out of the house is to hold their hands to cover their face.

Mr Nute had students present the safe way to “Stop, Drop, and Roll” in the event that clothes catch on fire, because that is the safest way to put out the fire.

“I’d like you all to go home tonight and talk to your moms and dads about stop, drop and roll,” he said.

Students were also shown through a smoke room by other firefighters. The smoke room was set up behind the curtains on the stage in the school’s auditorium and was made to show the students the correct way to walk through a fire.

Outside the school fire trucks were parked, and students were brought outside to see them and get a walk-through of the tools and other items the trucks hold.