Decatur students tour fire trucks smoke trailer

Fire department visits elementary school to celebrate National Fire Prevention Week

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

— Northside Elementary School students toured fire trucks and learned how to safely exit a burning home during the Oct. 8 fire safety day.

The Decatur Fire Department holds the event each year as part of National Fire Prevention Week, according to fire chief David Flynt.

Students practiced how to safely get out of a burning home inside a smoke trailer, provided by the Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

They also learned what a firefighter in full bunker gear looks and sounds like so they won’t be frightened and hide from their potential rescuers should their home catch on fire.

Children also toured Decatur’s pumper truck and a Gravette ambulance, and learned about Gentry’s ladder truck from Gentry fire chief Vester Cripps. Air Evac was planning on bringing an air ambulance to the event but was unable to fly because of mechanical problems, Flynt said.

National Fire Prevention Week honors the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire that began on Oct. 8,

1871. The fire killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres, according to the National Fire Protection Association Web site www.npfa. org.

On the fortieth anniversary of the fire, the Fire Marshal’s of North America decided to honor the date by teaching about the importance of Fire Prevention. In 1920 president Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation and in 1922 the first fire prevention week was observed.

School News, Pages 15 on 10/27/2010