Firefighters teach Albion elementary students all about fire prevention

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Caleb Hughson, an Albion fifth-grader, makes it through a smoke simulator as part of Fire Prevention Week at the school.

A fire safety training trailer was outside the school today. That trailer, owned by the Orleans County’s Emergency Management Office, has a fog machine to simulate smoky rooms.

Students were urged to “Stay Low and Go.”

Students pretend to call 911 at outside the fire safety trailer. A person inside pretended to be a 911 dispatcher. Firefighters also encouraged students to develop a fire escape plan with their families.

Ben Mathes of the Barre Volunteer Fire Company helps Annie Curfman, a fourth-grader, spray water at targets. Barre brought a small fire hose it uses for brush and grass fires. That hose was more manageable for the students to use today.

Mathes said he was willing to help teach students about fire prevention, and also hoped they would consider joining a local fire department when they are older, or encourage their parents to get the training and become a firefighter.

“We desperately need people” Mathes said. “It’s community service and there’s camaraderie.”

James Fisher, an EMT with COVA, talks with students about the ambulance and some of the medical supplies inside, including a stretcher.

Colton Moreland, a fourth-grader, handles the deck gun on Carlton’s rescue boat.

Firefighters were outside the school from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. today, showing about 800 students some of the equipment used by local emergency services.

Angie Wolfe, an elementary teacher and fire prevention week coordinator, said students enjoyed how interactive the event was, with an opportunity to go inside a fire truck, go on the rescue boat, spray water at targets and crawl through the foggy safety trailer.

Students can make a project – a poster, song, book, a diorama – and a winner from each grade level from Pre-K to 5 will get a ride to school in a fire truck.

Nathan Bloom, an Albion firefighter, shows students an Albion fire truck. Students were able to climb inside the truck.

Barre firefighter Mark Farone also worked the station where students could spray water at targets. He is assisting Eli Patten, a fourth-grader.

Rachel Lundmark, a fifth grade teacher, makes her way through the foggy safety trailer.