Preschoolers left quite the mark during fire safety week. Over a dozen preschoolers dipped their hands in paint and left hand prints on the walls of the Marwayne Fire Department halls.
It was all part of their Marwayne Fire and Rescue tour during fire safety week.
The kids got to leave a lasting mark while also going for firetruck tours and using hoses for fun. Additionally, according to Protective Services of County of Vermillion River operations officer Austin Armitage, it keeps the message out there.
The department showed kids what lights and sirens look and sound like as they took the trucks out of the firehouse. One kid exclaimed as he was on tour, "this is so cool," making everyone else laugh. The kid who was originally scared to be around the vehicles changed his tune as he toured the hall.
"We're present, we're in the area, you can come down and meet your firefighters. It helps kids face something that might be scary to them," said Armitage. "It's good engagement to get the kids down here to do some artwork; it was originally Ron Minsky's idea."
Armitage said there is a purpose in having preschoolers come down and leave their handprints. In the future, when they come back on other school trips, as teachers or even firefighters, they will see their handprints and hopefully think it's cool.
Meanwhile, the national prevention message for the week revolved around smoke detectors.
"We want everyone to check and make sure they function. We're also heavily focusing on exit plans and what to do as kids," stated Armitage. "If your smoke alarm is going off, you need to stay low and get out."
The department also completed trips to different schools and a chili cookoff competition during their fire week activities.
Read More: Commercial fire extinguished quickly - Meridian Source
Locally owned and community driven, the Lloydminster Meridian Source is the online news source in the Border City. Whether it’s breaking news, features or sports, if you have questions about what’s going on around town, then Source it with us.
Since online platforms no longer support the sharing of news, we encourage you to bookmark meridiansource.ca. So, whether you’re having a coffee or enjoying a meal, check in any time for the most up-to-date news in Lloydminster.
