In observance of National Fire Prevention Month in October, the children at Bloom Montessori in Longmont got a visit from firefighters from the Mountain View Fire Protection District.
The preschoolers got an up-close look at the gear and talked about basic fire safety.
Fireman Paul Stephens donned his fire protection suit to show the children what he looked like before and after putting on the suit.
“We want you to see what we look like before we get dressed and with all of our gear so you know that we are people there to help you, and that we’re not scary,” he told the children.
The kids then took turns feeling the thick suit and heavy gloves Stephens wore which, he explained, also makes children feel more comfortable approaching fire personnel during an emergency.
Bloom Montessori Director Abigail Miller brought the firefighters to the school because “children under five are twice as likely to be killed in a fire as any other age group and are more likely to be burned than other age groups,” she said.
Typically, fire safety programs are geared toward elementary school-aged children, and the 3–6-year-old age bracket is left out. Programs that connect preschoolers with firefighters in familiar settings aim to increase the likelihood that the youngest people in a home will know how to respond in the event of a fire.
After the presentation, the children headed outside to see the fire truck. Student Michael Ivanov was particularly excited when Firefighter Bill Bishard took a big ax off the truck to show the kids. Ivanov explained that he had brought his toy ax from home, and then looked at the other implements on the truck and added, “but I don’t have any of those tools at my house!”
The fire truck was also the highlight for young Ava Holt-Fina, who said, “I really liked the truck and the big hose.”
The firefighters didn’t want young children to be frightened by the loud noises and flashing lights, so they took the time to explain the different features of the vehicle. Many of the children immediately recognized the fire extinguishers carried on board and explained that they have them in their own homes, as well.
Ivanov and another student, Maya Aldaba, told the group that they have smoke detectors on the ceiling in their rooms at home, and the firefighters touched on the importance of having them throughout the house.
“An important part of keeping young children safe is making sure they know when and how to evacuate in the event of a fire,” Miller said.
Some of the children have already had experience with firefighters. “We had some students affected by the Marshall Fire, and they know first-hand how important firefighters are,” Miller said. “The kids really look forward to having them visit each year.”
