We Like Firefighters

We had a very exciting morning visiting our local fire station.
 
The excitement was apparent on the faces as they arrived.
 
And by the clothes some children decided to wear.
                 
We were welcomed by fire fighters Jim, Brittany and Mario.
 
         We learned how to Stop, Drop and Roll.
 
       Remember to cover your face when you roll.
 
       Then we got to practice, even me (in the red).

		How a fire fighter gets dressed VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

We watched Mario get dressed in to his gear.  It weighs 85 lbs.
To me this is the most important part of the tour.
A firefighter in full gear can be frightening and intimidating.
Children need to see a fire fighter in full gear in a friendly,
non threatening situation, just in case they do meet one in a fire.
 
Most children were comfortable approaching Mario
 
but there were a few that were nervous and just wouldn't approach.

 
Next we went outside to use the hose.
We felt it when it was empty and flat and then when it was full and round.
 
A great experience was to turn the hose on and aim it at the building.
                  
Then we had to help squeeze the water out of the hose so it would lay flat again.
 
We learned that not all fire stations have a pole to slide down and that our station is mainly volunteer fire fighters that don't sleep there.
We learned that the red flashing lights are easier to see on a black or white fire truck than a red one.
We learned that you won't find a dalmation dog at fire stations in Canada.
The dogs were used a long time ago to clear the way for the horses pulling the wagon and not any more.

        Thank you for a fantastic learning experience.