Members of the Fostoria Fire Department were greeted by smiling children eager to see equipment, sit in a fire truck, and learn more about what firefighters do on the job as they visited Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) Fostoria Family Development Center on Oct. 7.

That’s the point of Fire Prevention Week, said Melanie Miller, Fostoria Center Specialist. The center provides early education to children ages 3-5 through the Head Start program. With children in this age group, Miller said it’s important to not only educate them on fire safety, but also to let them know that firefighters are there to help in the event of an emergency.

“We want children to not be afraid of firefighters,” Miller said. “We want them to see that when firefighters are in all of their gear that they’re just regular people ready to help.”

Miller welcomed members of the fire department during Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 4-10. Firefighters brought a firetruck and ambulance for children to see, demonstrating equipment such as hoses, axes, cutting tools, and other items that firefighters may use while on the job. Some members of the fire department also wore full uniforms with masks and protective equipment to let children see what a firefighter looks like when equipped with safety gear. 

Firefighters also shared the importance of having working smoke detectors, establishing a safety point where families can meet after exiting a burning house, and most importantly, knowing to evacuate in the event of a fire.

“Our main goal is to get them out,” Fostoria Fire Department Captain Dave Cook said. “Getting out of the house, having a safe place to meet, knowing what to do if you see smoke—these are basic things we teach the kids during Fire Prevention Week.”

Fostoria Fire Department also provided children with play fire helmets and a packet with coloring books and educational materials that they could share with parents to help them establish fire safety plans for their households. 

“We appreciate the department’s visit,” Miller said. “It says a lot about our community that we have this support and the department was able to come share what they do with our kids.”

For more information on GLCAP Head Start programs, visit www.glcap.org/headstart.