B-F-D Fire and Rescue gives fire safety classes

Green Bank, W.Va. –

October is National Fire Prevention Month and October 7-13 was Fire Prevention Week. Members of Bartow-Frank-Durbin Fire and Rescue visited Green Bank School last Friday to teach students important fire safety lessons.

B-F-D firefighter Michael Carpenter describes some of the things kids were learning.

“This is Fire Safety / Prevention Week, and we’re here to help the students, show them what the fire apparatus is like, what to expect if they have a fire at their house, not to be afraid of us if we come in, in out turnout gear, our breathing apparatus, and to trust us,” he said. “We there to help them and not to hide from us. So far, I think they’re having fun. They’re having a good time. I’m having a good time.”

EMT Jessica Varner was teaching kids about ambulance equipment and not to be afraid of emergency personnel. Varner says the training is important for the safety of the children and firefighters.

“It’s just nice to go around, teaching kids, like, what you know about fire and EMS,” she said. “I think it’s worthwhile for their safety and ours. I mean, if they have a fire in their house, maybe they’ll know, from just today, how you feel that door to see if it’s hot. Maybe go through it if it’s not hot. Stop, drop and roll. Call 911.”

B-F-D fire chief Kenneth Varner says both firefighters and students were enjoying the classes.

“Oh, the kids are having a blast, they’re just enjoying it,” he said. “We’ve got a beautiful day here to do this. We have several members here with them. And the kids – you can probably hear them in the background – how excited they are to learn. They’re just having a wonderful time. It’s fun to be here.”

Fourth grader Shaylyn tells why the classes are important.

“Because, if you’re in a fire, they’re going to need to know what to do to live,” she said.

Fourth grader Bryson agrees.

“It’s kind of in fire season and it teaches you what to do whenever you’re in a fire,” he said.

The fire chief gives some advice for wood-burning season.

“Cold weather starts coming in – they need to make sure they clean their stoves out and their stovepipes and get that old creosote and stuff out of there, where we don’t have the fires,” he said. “Make sure their chimneys and things are in good operating order, where they’re not cracked and things like that. Be careful when you’re putting wood and stuff in your stoves that the ashes and things don’t get out there on your floors. Everyone should have a fire extinguisher and I prefer the ones that are “ABC” and has a gauge on there. That way, you can tell if that fire extinguisher is no longer any good – it’s lost its pressure.

“Also, I’d like to remind everybody to have smoke detectors in their home and be sure and change the battery. A lot of people have smoke detectors in the home and they forget to change the battery. Set a date, like the first of the year or your child’s birthday or something like that. Make sure you change that – that saves lives.”

Shaylyn gives her opinion of firefighters.

“I think they’re awesome, because they save people’s lives,” she said.

For complete fire safety information, see the National Fire Protection Association website at www.nfpa.org.