Grade 4 and 5 students from across the West Shore gathered in Metchosin for a day full of fun and important safety lessons.
The annual Fire Safety Expo returned on April 25 and 26 for the first time since the pandemic was declared. An estimated 1,000 students made their way through several stations, each teaching a different safety lesson.
“This is our 24th year doing this event with eight fire and life safety stations for Grade 4 and 5 students,” said Tammy Yhde-Riis, expo coordinator with the City of Langford. “We are trying to get as much information to these kids as we can about topics which are important to them today.”
New for this year’s event is the addition of a cyber safety station led by the West Shore RCMP. The Fire Smart Program station has been expanded, being taught by Sooke Fire Rescue.
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“The event isn’t just about fire safety, it’s fire and life safety. We have bike safety, home safety for fire and other hazards, emergency preparedness has also been brought in this year and, of course, fire extinguisher training – everyone’s favourite,” said Metchosin Fire Department Chief Stephanie Dunlop. “As emergency services, we are short on time to do the education element – going into schools and teaching them so much information. This gives us the biggest bang for the buck so to speak.”
Rotating through each station every 10 minutes or so, the students learned everything from how to identify fire and safety hazards in the home – such as clothing draped over lamps or power cords forming a tripping hazard – to how to escape from a home when the hallway is filled with smoke. A lucky few got to grab a fire extinguisher and try their hand at putting out a gas fire after learning about the different types of extinguishers and which types of fires they should be used for, and how to check if the extinguisher at home is ready to use.
Each class is sent back to school with a goody bag filled with more information pamphlets and activity books to allow teachers to reinforce the bite-sized knowledge their students gained at the expo.
“This is the first one I have been to, but it has been excellent. They are talking about all sorts of things we have learned that a lot of families are not prepared for, things like having a meeting place or having an emergency kit,” said Chelsea Sihota, a Grade 3-4 teacher at Pexsisen Elementary School. “It’s also really good for the students to get a chance to see all the first responders, and their faces, in a positive light. I have a very loud class, and they have been perfectly behaved and quiet, so that demonstrates to me they are getting a lot of information and enjoying it.”
Beyond simply teaching kids important safety lessons in a fun, easy-to-understand way, Dunlop and Yhde-Riis said the event also serves as an important networking and training opportunity for the organizations which come together to put it on. This year’s event included fire departments from Metchosin, Langford, Colwood and Sooke, as well as the West Shore RCMP, ICBC and Langford bylaw department.
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@JSamanski
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