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Children from Lincoln Christian
Church Preschool had an up-close and hands-on lesson in fire safety
this week when Assistant Fire Chief Ben Roland of the Lincoln Fire
Department rolled a fire truck into the church parking lot.
The visit brought excitement and curiosity to the preschoolers, who
are ages three to five. Roland, whose station sits just a short
distance from the church, quickly captured their attention by
describing what it means to be a firefighter.
He explained that crews work
24-hour shifts, spending entire days and nights at the firehouse
waiting for calls. “We get to do medical work, and we get to do
firefighting work,” he told them, explaining how firefighters
respond not only to fires but also to medical emergencies and car
accidents.
What could have been frightening instead became a clear, relatable
lesson that helped the children understand both the risks of fire
and how firefighters stay safe. Showing an air pack, he compared
breathing smoke to accidentally inhaling smoke from a wiener roast.
“It’s really bad,” he told them, before showing how the mask and
regulator connect to the air container. “That lets us breathe the
clean air that’s inside these bottles. And then, if we have to go
into a house that’s got lots of smoke it doesn’t hurt our lungs
because we’re breathing from the air pad”
The children weren’t just listeners
during the demonstration—they became active participants. Roland
invited them to climb inside the fire truck’s cab, where they peered
around, touched the seats, and imagined what it would be like to
ride to an emergency.
They peppered him with questions about ladders, hoses, and sirens,
while he explained each piece of equipment. The group also got to
watch as Roland put on his heavy firefighting suit and helmet,
showing them the protective gear that keeps him safe on dangerous
calls
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Roland also touched on the
difference between fire engines and fire trucks, noting that the
one parked outside was called a “Quint” because it could perform
multiple roles. He explained how hoses can pump water from
hydrants or even between trucks, and how radios keep
firefighters connected with each other and dispatchers.
At one point, he even treated the
children to the sound of the truck’s lights and siren. “That’s not a
normal siren,” Roland explained. “That’s what’s called a federal Q.
It’s a mechanical siren. It’s old school, and that speaks to my
heart”
As the program wrapped up, Roland reflected on why visits like this
matter. “If we can come make a good impression with kiddos, then
that’s something that lasts and that also puts us in a position,
since they are excited to see us and hear from us, then we can teach
them things that might end up keeping them safe or saving their
lives eventually,” he said.
Fire safety outreach like this is a
regular part of the department’s October schedule, when firefighters
set aside their normal training to visit preschools and elementary
schools across the district. “We’ll do all of the schools in our
district in the month of October, preschool through third grade,”
Roland said
The morning ended with children
waving enthusiastically goodbye as they went back to class, buzzing
with stories to share about sirens, ladders, and the chance to see a
real firefighter right in front of them.
[Sophia Larimore] |
