News : Vinton Fire Department stops at TLC Daycare

Every year when the Vinton Fire Department visits the schools during Fire Prevention Week, I appreciate them even more. I know when I was a kid, the only education we had was a fire truck ride in kindergarten.

As I watched VFD volunteers, Michael Elwick and Ross Hanson present fire safety to the children in preschool I knew two things. They have to be very careful not to scare the children, but they also want very much to educated them on what to do if they are in a house fire.

The two talked safety, to tell an adult if someone is playing with matches or a lighter, to be careful if there is a lit candle in the house. How to see if there is a fire on the other side of their bedroom door (touch the door to see if it's hot) but I think this tip is one to remember for the kids.

Stay low under the smoke. Now usually they say to do this, but this time they used the example of a dog. When dogs are sniffing, they put their nose to the ground and that's how you stay safe in a smokey room, to sniff low to the ground. This example brought a few giggles, but also the response of the kids was to immediately bend over and get close to the ground.

The kids were well versed in the stop, drop and roll to put out clothes if they catch on fire, and are working on learning their addresses next. In case they ever need to call 911, that will always be the first question the dispatchers will have. Unlike the movies, technology cannot pinpoint an exact location for emergencies yet. So if your children don't yet know their address, teach this and how to use the phone.

Another tip firefighters drilled into the kids was to get out of the house. Leave the pets, leave their favorite toys and get out to their "meeting place." The department encourages parents to find a designated place away from the house for the kids to meet in case of a fire. Their swingset, at the neighbors, on the sidewalk, some agreed upon location.

To view pictures from the stop CLICK HERE!