Third-graders taught about fire prevention and safety

DeKALB – On Oct. 15, about 10 third-graders from Littlejohn Elementary School crowded together, coughing and yelling for help as smoke filled up the room.

Banging on windows and crawling low on the floor to the nearest door, they were able to quickly escape unharmed.

Luckily, the smoky situation wasn’t because of a fire, it was theatrical smoke from a fog machine. The third-graders didn’t escape from a burning building, they practiced how to flee from a fire during a demonstration in the DeKalb Fire Department’s fire prevention smoke trailer.

Third-grader Brenda Garcia-Paulino was afraid of the smoky trailer before the demonstration.

“I was afraid, but it wasn’t that scary,” she said. “I never experienced a fire before. I learned how to get out of the room and climb down a ladder. I now know it’s important to keep low and bang and yell for help until the fire department comes.”

Littlejohn Elementary was just one of the schools DeKalb firefighters visited as part of Fire Prevention Month. The firefighters, part of DeKalb Fire Department’s public education team, will travel to all DeKalb third-grade classes during the month of October, bringing along equipment for demonstrations and its fire prevention smoke trailer.

Firefighter and paramedic Patrick Eriksen has been visiting classrooms to teach about fire safety and fire prevention for 12 years.

“This year’s theme is ‘Look, Listen and Learn,’ and we want to make sure kids know about fire safety,” Eriksen said. “We know that it’s not the kids’ first time learning about this stuff, but what we do reinforces their knowledge. Just getting out the information, the safety tips and alerts, is our goal. We want to get the message out and help as many folks as we can.”

Firefighter and paramedic Noah Millard has partnered with Eriksen to visit schools together with the trailer.

“Prevention and education are the most important reasons why we do this,” Millard said. “Children are often the eyes and ears for the adults they live with. It’s important for them to check smoke detector batteries, practice fire safety and have an exit plan in place. After visiting schools and our Night Out Event in Target, we see the students around town. They come up to us and tell us they remember what they learned and that it helped.”

Eriksen said there’s another reason why both he and Millard visit the schools every October: They are both dads with young children.

“Our kids are about the same age as the students in classrooms we visit,” Eriksen said. “We teach our own kids fire safety and want to make sure they’re safe, that they don’t play with matches or leave candles lit. Everyone any age, whether they’re a child or an adult, should know what to do if there is a fire.”

Third-grade teachers Darla DeSort and Megan Forti said that having the firefighters visit was a great way to teach their students about fire safety.

“I think it’s great that the firefighters teach what you should do during a fire,” Forti said. “The mobile trailer and the smoke makes everything more real. The students need to be ready in case of a fire.”

Third-graders Henry Stephenson and Niseanya Wright said they had fun learning about fire prevention and safety. Both students have been victims of fire: Stephenson saw a powerline on fire outside his house and Wright experienced a kitchen fire.

“I want to thank the firefighters, it was a lot of fun even though it was a little bit scary,” Stephenson said. “The smoke looked very realistic.”

“I think we’re more prepared now and not as afraid,” Wright said. “I didn’t know that you’re supposed to put the back of your hand to the door to see if it’s hot.”

Before they left, Eriksen and Millard gave the students homework: Memorize their home address and phone number, test and change the batteries in their house’s smoke detectors and plan an escape route and meeting place with their family in case they do experience a fire.

“It’s important that the students know that we’re here to help them,” Eriksen said. “We’re not here to wear equipment and be scary. We’re here to help and protect.”

For information about the DeKalb Fire Department or the fire prevention smoke trailer, visit www.cityofdekalb.com/148/Fire-Department or call 815-748-8460.