COURT HOUSE — A visit to the firehouse was fun and educational for two Pre-K classes from Middle Township Elementary No. 1 to celebrate Fire Prevention Week.
The afternoon trip on Wed., Oct. 6 for pupils in Debbie Drewnowski’s and Debbie Hess’ classes was part of an annual ritual for Court House volunteer firefighters and staff of the Bureau of Fire Prevention. Earlier in the day, two other Pre-K classes made a similar tour. The children walked to the Hand Avenue location from their school, accompanied by teachers and adult volunteers.
“Actually we stretch it into Fire Prevention Month,” said Fire Inspector Kathy Elwell. Attired as a firefighter, Elwell gave the attentive youngsters a quick course in fire safety and prevention, as well as demonstrated a smoke detector and infrared camera, which is used to locate people and hot spots during a fire.
A mother of one of the pupils, Christine Carlson volunteered to stand in front of that camera so that the children could see her image.
She estimated that between 1,000 and 1,300 children, Pre-K and second grade, are included in the fire prevention series, either with tour of the firehouse or direct visits to facilities, such as Cape Regional Medical Center’s Early Education Center and the Cape May County Special Services School District.
Members of the fire company assisted in setting up a wooden house with tiny windows with youngsters got to squirt with a fire hose, assisted by Elwell and Fire Inspector John Reardon.
Local businesses joined in making the event extra special by donating items for take-home bags which all pupils received. Those businesses included, TD Bank, Atlantic Electric, N.J. American Water Co. and Acme Markets, which donated juice and cookies after a short video.
As the pupils were enjoying time behind hoses, Sparky, the firedog, invited adults Nancy Agnes and Christine Carlson for an overhead view of the scene from the bucket of the aerial truck.
From there, they got a bird’s-eye vantage point, and waved to youngsters, who eagerly returned those waves.
As all things must end, so did the visit, but not before both classes had an opportunity to pose for a photograph with Sparky in front of a shiny red Court House fire engine.
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com
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