PTES Learns About Fire Prevention Week
The Fort Jackson Fire Department and emergency medical services (EMS) visited Pierce Terrace Elementary School (PTES), which is situated in the heart of Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to observe Fire Prevention Week last week. The event was a hands-on instructional program. Every year, during the second week of October, people around the country observe this national holiday, which serves as a crucial reminder of the value of disaster preparedness and fire safety for people of all ages. The week's high point at Pierce Terrace ES was when paramedics and firemen stopped by the school to provide the kids with a hands-on, engaging opportunity to learn about fire safety.
Fire Prevention Week is the longest-running public health observance in the US, celebrated since 1925 when President Calvin Coolidge first declared it. It honors the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which sadly took thousands of lives and destroyed thousands of homes. Since then, public safety organizations, towns, and schools throughout the nation have used this week to raise awareness of and provide education on fire safety, especially for young people.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) declared "Cooking Safety Starts with YOU" as the subject for Fire Prevention Week 2024, highlighting the risks associated with kitchen fires and how everyone can avoid them. The NFPA's mission this year was to encourage families to adopt safe cooking habits and maintain their kitchens as fire-free zones because cooking fires remain the primary cause of house fires and home fire injuries in the United States.
The highlight of Fire Prevention Week for the children at PTES was a fantastic visit from the Ft. Jackson Fire Department and EMS staff. They arrived at the school decked up in their finest, bringing fire engines, ambulances, and other outstanding emergency equipment. The students were enthralled by the sight of the big red trucks, flashing lights, and firefighters in uniform. However, the day was more than simply fun; it was a significant educational opportunity.
The visit gave the excited students at PTES an opportunity to gain practical and unique experience in fire safety teaching. Students had the chance to see the fire engines, discover the tools firemen use to put out fires, and understand the daily duties of those who defend the community. The students could better understand paramedics' vital role in emergency response when the EMS team demonstrated the instruments and methods they employ to deliver life-saving medical care during crises.
Fire safety can be taught in the classroom, but it has a much more profound impact when students can interact directly with those on the front lines. The students have firsthand experience with the value of being ready and understanding what to do in an emergency.
To properly understand what it's like to be in a firefighter's shoes, students also got to put on some heavy equipment firemen wear while on duty, such as helmets and jackets.
The EMS crew enhanced the educational experience for the children that day by giving them a tour of an ambulance and explaining the medical equipment utilized in an emergency. The kids were shown equipment, including oxygen tanks, heart monitors, and stretchers, while the paramedics described how they evaluate and care for patients in the field. The EMS staff presented their work and emphasized the significance of emergency preparation beyond simply fire-related occurrences by interacting with students using real-life instruments and equipment.
The school also included fire safety teaching in its curriculum all week. Teachers used resources to emphasize essential safety themes. Important lessons were taught to the students. Teachers provided age-appropriate talks in the classroom on preventing house fires.
The lessons taught during Fire Prevention Week will stay with the Pierce Terrace Elementary pupils. Through interactive, hands-on learning and classroom education, the school's fire safety program helps students understand the risks associated with fires, how to prevent them, and how to react appropriately if they occur.
Thanks mainly to the fire department and emergency medical services visit, students had the unique opportunity to interact with and see the tools and strategies used by real-life first responders in maintaining community safety. The event opened many children's eyes and increased their interest in professions such as emergency medical services or firefighting.
PTES’s Fire Prevention Week was a huge success, giving the pupils important information about emergency planning and fire safety. Thanks to the assistance of the Ft. Jackson’s fire department and emergency medical services, the kids received vital fire safety advice and a practical grasp of the equipment and methods utilized by first responders. Through these experiences, students not only developed an appreciation for the job that emergency workers do, but they also gained the skills necessary to stay safe in a fire or other disaster.
