Children from Te Kupenga Preschool enjoyed a visit from the Blenheim Volunteer Fire Brigade on 24 September, with the crew doing interactive equipment demonstrations and discussing fire safety.
Preschool manager Susan Shallcrass said the children, ages one to five, were very excited by the crew’s visit.
“They absolutely loved it,” she says.
“They were allowed to use the hose and sort of adjust the spray on it, and they climbed in the engine, and [the firefighters] turned on the siren and things for them.
“They showed the children all their gear and the breathing gear...some of them were a little bit hesitant... but it was just to introduce them and show them.”
She adds that it’s important to try and introduce children to emergency services from an early age.
“I think the big thing for us was actually just the children learning that these firemen are not big, scary people – they’re nice people here to help.”
Lewis Jones, the brigade’s Community Risk Advisor, says the visit was arranged by a crew member with a child at the preschool, and children don’t typically engage with the crew until they reach years one and two for the national Firewise programme.
Nonetheless, he says it was a good opportunity to show younger children how a fire crew operates.
“We’re all about educating little ones, as you know, as soon as we can or they can start taking information aboard.”
“In preschools, we can give them material that the teachers can just go through with them, including a little Firewise song sharing some of the fundamental messaging.”
Lewis says the crew’s next main education event is the Clued-Up Kids programme held at Brayshaw Park in November for years five and six children, where practical fire safety and other life skills are taught.
