October 15, 2003, Succasunna, NJ… The week of October 5-10 was Fire Prevention Week. Teaching fire safety is extremely important so that children not only have respect for firefighters and the serious job they do, but so that they understand how dangerous fire can be when it is out of control. On Thursday, October 9, members of the Roxbury Township Volunteer Fire Company visited Franklin School to speak to students in kindergarten and first grade about the purpose of smoke detectors and the importance of leaving a house or building as quickly as possible if it is on fire. Fire Inspector Muller also explained how to stop, drop, and roll should clothing catch on fire. The children also learned about the special clothing a firefighter wears and the gear a firefighter uses to fight fires.
In the school parking lot, students had the opportunity to see the fire trucks and learn about equipment and apparatus stored on the trucks. The lights and siren got everyone’s attention when they were turned on! This was done in an effort to familiarize students with the sight and sound of fire trucks so they would not be startled or frightened by them if they saw one in their neighborhood.
Lastly, Fire Inspector Muller gave the children a homework assignment. They were to go home and ask their parents two questions: “Where is our meeting place?” (In other words, where would the family members meet outside in the event that they had to leave the house because of a fire) and “Is our smoke detector working?” The program was well done by the fire company and the staff and students appreciated the time that the firefighters spent with them. The children were very excited to receive fire hats, coloring books, and other fire safety materials from the fire company.
“The well being of all students is a constant concern at Franklin School. Educating them about safety is as important as teaching them to read, write, and do math because when children feel safe, they are ready to learn,” stated Franklin School Principal, Mary Ann Boyd. At the end of the month, the students will be learning more about bus safety---and that is an important issue too!