Submitted by Robyn Rexin
The Vavenby Elementary students walked to the fire hall to take part in some activities for fire week, Oct. 3 to 10.
The Grade 4 to 7 class went on Monday, Oct. 4 and the Kindergarten to Grade 3 class on Tuesday. When the older children arrived, Fire Chief Philip Weber went over the course of events and then gave the children some time to wander around and inspect the fire trucks.
Grade 7 student Nathaniel Weber set up and turned on the device used to blow away smoke. The children then went into the hall to try on the firefighters’ gear.
Fireman Chris Janes showed the students, one at a time, how to get into the outfit in the correct order. He explained how the head covering that went on under the helmet protected their neck and hair from being burned. Nathaniel, who had already put on his own suit, gave Janes a hand.
Next, everyone went upstairs to watch a video on fire safety. This was followed by a lunch of three different kinds of sandwiches, cookies and juice boxes. The sandwiches were provided by Alison Weber.
Earlier, there had been a colouring contest. The firemen chose the winning picture and the winner was announced at lunch. Grade 6 Cat-Lin Adams from the older students won, as well as Ellie Jeck for the primary class. Their prize was Fire Chief for a Day.
They were picked up at their homes Friday, Oct. 8 in a fire truck with all the sirens, bells and lights turned on to go to school. The fire truck arrived back at the school to return them home. Ellie’s Aunt Jenny Bellows was Fire Chief for a Day when it was first started.
After lunch, teacher Mr. Noah Woods took his students to the park to get rid of excess energy. When they returned, the class was divided into two groups and participated in four different activities.
While one group took turns trying to put out the flames in the fire pit, the other learned about the battery-charged, 55-pound jaws of life which is new to the fire hall. Janes demonstrated how this tool can separate the metal on a car and how it can cut through it. And then, with help, the children tried it.
The last activity was spraying the white foam. Before the students went back to the school, a class picture was taken in front of a fire truck with all the firefighters who had come out to help.
Fire Chief Weber had one of the children hold Ember the Bear. This stuffed bear was given to the Vavenby Volunteer Fire Department this past summer when they were fighting wildfires. In both deployments they met and worked with the Clearwater County, Alta., Fire Department who gave them the bear. Ember is a bear that gets passed around.
newsroom@clearwatertimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter