By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
National Fire Prevention Week takes place this week and the Great Bend Fire Department will do their best to educate children and adults on the dangers of fire.
Members of the fire department will make presentations to preschool and kindergarten classes in Great Bend that will cover fire safety tips, the “stop, drop and roll” approach and planning two ways out of their home for the escape plan.
Fire Chief Luke McCormick said presentations change
for first through sixth graders with the fire department bringing in their kitchen
prop.
"We felt it made a big impact on the kids, teaching them how to use a fire extinguisher to put out a fire," said McCormick. "We'll have a few kids come up and get hands-on time to put out a fire. We'll show safety tips in the kitchen with the microwave and what to do if there is a fire in your kitchen."
Each kindergartner will receive a free fire hat and every sixth grader that
does not already have a smoke detector will be provided one.
Fire Inspector
Mike Smith said the preventive programs play a big role in keeping the
community safe.
"The number of fires we've had in the past years have gone down significantly," said Smith. "That is partially attributed to public education and getting to these kids at such a young age about the dangers of fire."
This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety” and
will focus on smoke detectors. It is recommended to test your smoke detectors
once a month and change the battery once a year. McCormick mentioned it is
important to inform your children what the smoke detector sounds like so they
know what it is and how they should react.