KINGFIELD – Like many other departments across the country, the Kingfield Fire Department recognized Fire Prevention Week by visiting local schools.

On Friday, members of Kingfield Fire, along with members of Strong Fire and the Foster Tech firefighting class, visited the Kingfield Elementary School and the Maine Mountain Children’s House. Kingfield Elementary School now hosts some K-4 grades students from the town of Strong as a result of the reconfiguration in the district, so members of their local department were invited to attend.

The Foster Tech students demonstrated the process of donning full turnout gear and SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) packs for the younger kids, explaining each part of their protective bunker gear as they put it on and reinforcing the idea that the firefighter is still a nice, friendly person underneath all the gear.

One concern when interacting with young children during an emergency is that the child may become frightened by the unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells; a firefighter in full turnout gear, carrying tools and breathing through their SCBA, may frighten a child so much that they hide from the firefighters. By introducing them to the turnout gear in a safe and familiar environment, children may be less frightened in an emergency, which can allow firefighters to help them more readily.

Firefighters discussed how to call 9-1-1 in an emergency and gave examples of good reasons to call, such as a fire or serious injury, and bad reasons such as a leaky toilet.

Due to the rain, students did not participate in a full fire drill, which includes all the students and staff exiting the school building to a safe meeting place; some small drills were performed indoors to reinforce the idea of dropping what they are doing and going to a meeting place when they hear a fire alarm.

Students were sent home with ‘homework’ to ask their parents where their outside meeting place at home is, and what their home address is.

For Fire Prevention Week, which is a national event held each year in October, other area departments held school visits and invited students and families to visit the stations for educational programs.

Families are strongly encouraged to develop an emergency plan in advance. The National Fire Protection Association highlights the following considerations:

● Make sure your plan meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.

● Smoke alarms should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected so when one sounds, they all sound.

● Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows open easily.

● Have an outside meeting place a safe distance from your home where everyone should meet.

● Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year with everyone in the household, including guests. Practice at least once during the day and at night.

For more on fire safety and emergency preparedness, the following program is available from Mt. Blue TV. (Click Here to view) In this program, host Tom Saviello speaks with Timothy Hardy, Director of the Franklin County Emergency Management, Thomas Doak, Deputy Fire Chief of the Wilton, Maine Fire Department, and Joshua Bell, of Northern Lights Stove and Recreation, to discuss what you need to have ready in an emergency, the basics of fire safety, and the specifics of maintaining your propane, pellet, or wood stove and fireplace.

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