Lancer Spotlight 11/18/21: Little Lancer Fire Safety Week: Firemen Visit
November 19, 2021
On November 18, the Libertytown fire department paid the Little Lancers a visit during the school day.
Kate Lane, their teacher, welcomed the fire-fighters into her class to talk about their duties and the importance they have in protecting our lives. This is a yearly event in the preschool that never fails to impress the children. Despite the initially scary masks and suits the firemen wore, the kids viewed the fire-fighters as friendly, responsible role models whom they could trust and enjoyed their presence.
The Little Lancers reviewed stop-drop-and-roll, what the number to call is if there’s an emergency, and when to call. Then, they were shown how a firefighter dresses in the case of a house fire. Finally, the class went outside to see the ambulance, explore the firetruck, and spray a water hose into the field.
The firemen did an impressive job creating an enjoyable, exciting lesson and setting a good example for the kids. They let the class watch someone put on their full suit, try on the fire hat, explore, ask questions, raise their hands, try new things, and even shout “help” as if calling out from a dangerous situation where a team of firemen could save them.
Kate Lane, the child development teacher, was also impressed by their attention-grabbing methods.
“The firefighters let the kids put the helmet on, and they were very interactive with the children’s questions, even though some of their questions were a little off-topic – or ridiculous,” said Lane.
Lane expresses the importance of this special day in ensuring the kids in her class are prepared in case they are ever faced with a fire accident.
“It was a week-long teaching theme in our Child Development 1, 2, and 3, and it’s fundamentally important for children to learn not to play with matches, how to dial in case of an emergency, and to understand what firefighters do!” said Lane.
Ms. Lane describes the day as action packed and full of excitement, which only added to the perfect day.
“I think their favorite part was hearing the sirens, seeing the lights, and maybe spraying the water,” said Lane. “It was just a beautiful, sunny, warm day!”
Fire safety lessons are beneficial for the early development of children, and play an important role in building their perception on staying safe and utilizing safety measures. Valuable experiences like these will serve kids well in the future.
The child development class is an elective and the prerequisite to receiving a teaching certificate through child development 2 and 3. It is open to all students and is a great course option for those interested in working with children.
