| Kennedy Park School #24 held a summertime safety day for their students. The faculty lined up different agencies to talk to the students about their jobs and safety over the summer. This included Firefighters, Police Officers, EMT's, PSE&G, a nutritionist, an eye doctor, Target, and a few others.
The school faculty contacted Deputy Fire Official Meckler and he coordinated the day's events with Chief Mellett. District 11 was assisted by District 9 in staffing the day's activities. F/O Meckler lined up the Fire Safety Trailer and a DVD to show the students what to do if their house is on fire. The students first sat in a classroom and watched the DVD to learn what to do, and then they went outside to the trailer and physically learned how to get out of a house filled with smoke.
The Fire Safety Trailer is used by the Woodbridge Township Fire Companies to teach kids what to do in a real life situation. The trailer has a full kitchen, downstairs room and an upstairs bedroom with a sliding door and ladder to escape. The trailer is prepiped with a smoke machine to simulate a fire.
Deputy Fire Official Draina brought the classes into the kitchen of the trailer and talked to them about fire safety in the kitchen and how to recognize fire hazards. There is a phone in the kitchen that is answered by a "9-1-1 dispatcher", which is actually the FF working the control room. Each student practices making a 9-1-1 call. F/O Draina then brought them to the upstairs bedroom and explained what to do if there is smoke present. He teaches them to stay low and check doors for heat. The trailer is equipped with a door that is heated, so the students know what it feels like. At this point, the room is filled with smoke and the students have to "escape" through the back sliding glass door. After going through the trailer, the students walk over to the Fire Truck. There the FF's explain the engine and it's equipment to the students.
The Kennedy Park School Faculty and Staff did a great job organizing the day's events. |
