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Mohawk, N.Y. —
Fisher Elementary School students learned about the importance of fire safety through programs provided by the Mohawk Fire Department on Wednesday, in observance of National Fire Prevention Week.
Barbara Bellstedt, fire and life safety educator with the department, said students were split into two groups so firefighters had an opportunity to talk with them about fire safety and prevention.
Bellstedt said first- through third-graders learned about “stay low and go;” “stop, drop and roll” and “E.D.I.T.H.,” which stands for “Exit Drills in the Home.” Fourth- through sixth-graders viewed video presentations and participated in a question and answer session, she said.
Bellstedt said students were also informed about the state Fire Association’s theme — “Know Two Ways Out” — and it’s corresponding poster contest.
“When you’re in a room, a bedroom, a movie theater or a restaurant, you might want to recognize where the exits are, and to have two ways out,” she said.
Five Jarvis Junior-Senior High School students were recognized during Wednesday’s program for their four years of participation in the Mohawk Fire Department Fire Prevention Team. Eric Bowes, Bryan Cullen, Meredith McMann, Meghan Moore and Alyssa Snyder have been part of the team since 2009, assisting in the department’s prevention program by each accruing 24 hours of community service.
National Fire Prevention Week — observed this year from Oct. 7 to 13 — started for the school district on Tuesday, when students had a fire drill at Fisher with a two-truck response.
Prevention week continues today in Mohawk, when pre-kindergarten students and kindergartners will visit the Mohawk Fire Station. Bellstedt said the students will learn about “stay low and go” and “stop, drop and roll,” and will get to see the fire engines.
“It’s not just about escape. It’s what you can do ahead of time, to have a list of what we’re going to do, or go over [the information] with your kids to make sure they understand,” said Bellstedt.
Also planned is the department’s open house, scheduled for Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. The event will include the Herkimer County Smoke House, where children can call 911 and have an opportunity to “stay low and go.” There will also be volunteer applications available to join the fire department, the ladies auxiliary or the fire corps. Also, Sparky the Dog, played by fire corps member David Jones, will also be in attendance at the open house.
“If anyone has any questions, we will be there to answer them,” said Bellstedt. “There’s a place for everybody in the fire department. It doesn’t have to be firefighting. It could be the ladies auxiliary or fundraising.”
Bellstedt said she knows the importance of fire prevention and safety after her home accidentally caught fire in 2000.
“Nobody got injured, but it was very painful to watch your house burn,” she said. Bellstedt said she had to watch her son — who accidentally started the fire — go through the guilt having done so.
“I would not want another family to go through what we did,” she said. “I want to prevent injury and death, and for people to not only know to get out and stay out, but to do it safely and don’t panic. We have to reinforce it every year ... We have to stress it over and over again.”
Fisher Elementary School students learned about the importance of fire safety through programs provided by the Mohawk Fire Department on Wednesday, in observance of National Fire Prevention Week.
Barbara Bellstedt, fire and life safety educator with the department, said students were split into two groups so firefighters had an opportunity to talk with them about fire safety and prevention.
Bellstedt said first- through third-graders learned about “stay low and go;” “stop, drop and roll” and “E.D.I.T.H.,” which stands for “Exit Drills in the Home.” Fourth- through sixth-graders viewed video presentations and participated in a question and answer session, she said.
Bellstedt said students were also informed about the state Fire Association’s theme — “Know Two Ways Out” — and it’s corresponding poster contest.
“When you’re in a room, a bedroom, a movie theater or a restaurant, you might want to recognize where the exits are, and to have two ways out,” she said.
Five Jarvis Junior-Senior High School students were recognized during Wednesday’s program for their four years of participation in the Mohawk Fire Department Fire Prevention Team. Eric Bowes, Bryan Cullen, Meredith McMann, Meghan Moore and Alyssa Snyder have been part of the team since 2009, assisting in the department’s prevention program by each accruing 24 hours of community service.
National Fire Prevention Week — observed this year from Oct. 7 to 13 — started for the school district on Tuesday, when students had a fire drill at Fisher with a two-truck response.
Prevention week continues today in Mohawk, when pre-kindergarten students and kindergartners will visit the Mohawk Fire Station. Bellstedt said the students will learn about “stay low and go” and “stop, drop and roll,” and will get to see the fire engines.
“It’s not just about escape. It’s what you can do ahead of time, to have a list of what we’re going to do, or go over [the information] with your kids to make sure they understand,” said Bellstedt.
Also planned is the department’s open house, scheduled for Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. The event will include the Herkimer County Smoke House, where children can call 911 and have an opportunity to “stay low and go.” There will also be volunteer applications available to join the fire department, the ladies auxiliary or the fire corps. Also, Sparky the Dog, played by fire corps member David Jones, will also be in attendance at the open house.
“If anyone has any questions, we will be there to answer them,” said Bellstedt. “There’s a place for everybody in the fire department. It doesn’t have to be firefighting. It could be the ladies auxiliary or fundraising.”
Bellstedt said she knows the importance of fire prevention and safety after her home accidentally caught fire in 2000.
“Nobody got injured, but it was very painful to watch your house burn,” she said. Bellstedt said she had to watch her son — who accidentally started the fire — go through the guilt having done so.
“I would not want another family to go through what we did,” she said. “I want to prevent injury and death, and for people to not only know to get out and stay out, but to do it safely and don’t panic. We have to reinforce it every year ... We have to stress it over and over again.”
