Leptondale Elementary School students lined up and cheered as fire trucks from both the Plattekill and Cronomer Valley Fire Departments, their lights flashing and sirens wailing, pulled into the school parking lot the morning of October 20. A crew of multiple local firefighters had arrived to celebrate National Fire Prevention Month with them.

Members of each fire department met with small groups of students to talk about many aspects of prevention, and to demonstrate the use of firefighting equipment. Topics included the importance of knowing and planning two ways to escape from any room in the event of a fire and having a meeting place away from the home.

Students showed that they were aware of the crucial warning to never re-enter a burning building for any reason, when Cronomer Valley Fire Department’s First Lieutenant Max Villalonga asked them, “Would you go back into your home to get your favorite toy? Or your toothbrush?” and they shouted an emphatic “No!” The youngsters were eager to learn and peppered the crew with questions like “Where do people live when their house burns down?” and “Do firefighters get bored sitting in the fire station when there aren’t any fires to fight?”

Many were surprised to learn that forest fighting requires the most work because of the intensive effort it takes to rake the leaves away and clear away the trees. In addition, students learned about important life-saving safety measures firefighters use to keep us safe, such as wearing a light so we can see them, and suggesting that families display an informative postcard outside their homes with information about how many people are inside, including if anyone is disabled and may need help.  
Students checked out some fire-fighting equipment like a pick axe used to break down doors and a woodcutter used in forest fires, many exclaiming “It’s so heavy!” They were also able to examine a firefighter’s self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) that not only provides oxygen, but also protects the wearer from the harmful gases a fire releases.  

For many students, the highlight was when the firefighters released the truck’s ladder high into the sky, causing them to experience surprise and delight as they looked up and cheered.

Principal Scott Brown was appreciative of the fire departments’ efforts. “We are so grateful for all that these volunteers do to help keep our students—and our community—safe,” he said.