Children in the first session of the Newtown Youth & Family Services Inc (NYFS) Safety Town program learned about fire safety from Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Captain Pete Barresi on July 10, before students took turns climbing in one of the company's rescue truck.

This is the sixth year NYFS is hosting its Safety Town program. It is being offered in three week-long sessions this summer. As of July 10, there were no openings left in upcoming sessions, according to NYFS. The program is sponsored by the Newtown Prevention Council. Safety Town is a national program that was developed in 1964 to teach young children important information on traffic safety, fire safety, water safety, bus safety, bicycle safety, awareness of medicine and poison, and awareness of strangers, according to a description for the program.

Each Safety Town session has representatives from local community and health agencies visit with the students to teach them about safety.

During Mr Barresi's visit on July 10, he spoke to the students about creating escape plans from their house with their parents. He also challenged the students to talk to their parents about changing batteries in smoke detectors, and he demonstrated how to stop, drop, and roll.

The children then took turns learning about the company's rescue truck. They asked questions about the different equipment they could see before climbing into the truck.