February 16, 2005
Federal funds bolster local fire education
GT Metro Fire Department uses grant for robot, costumes to educate children
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Teaching children about fire safety and fire prevention will soon be easier thanks to a $33,784 dollar federal grant from the Office of Domestic Preparedness.
This grant will allow the Grand Traverse County Metro Fire Department to purchase a robot fire truck as well as a Sparky the Dog costume and a clown costume. The funds will also purchase a Sparky's Midas Touch Display along with restoring the department's current robot, Pluggie.
"These can be used for large and small groups to teach home safety," said Jim Carroll, the department's fire prevention education officer.
Targeting children and youth ages 4-14, Carroll regularly visits five schools in the county during the school year: Bertha Vos, Blair, Kingsley, Interlochen Community School and the Grand Traverse Academy. He also visits other schools in the county on an occasional basis as well as daycares, homeschool groups and after-school programs.
The Metro department's educational jurisdiction does not include Traverse City or the Old Mission Peninsula; fire departments there handle fire prevention training.
Whether a fire starts by accident or equipment malfunction, indoors or out, children can be taught to handle it. From Stop, Drop and Roll to safely exiting, fire prevention education saves lives. The questions Carroll fields - from what do I do if I'm on the second floor, what about my younger brother or sister, what about pets - tell him that the children are thinking.
"They might not remember, might not be able to tell you what you said, but in their subconscious, they know," said Carroll, who has held the education officer position for three years.
Another key component is to teach younger children not to fear firefighters. During a house fire, already a terrifying situation, a child might run from a firefighter in full regalia there to rescue him. So Carroll introduces, explains and dons each piece of firefighter equipment in front of the children.
"Then I crawl on my hands and knees and basically let them attack me," he said of his firefighter demystifying process.
Carroll said the purpose of working with children is twofold: to give them and their parents peace of mind and the firefighters peace of mind. By having children and parents plan escape routes and practice them together, Carroll said everyone benefits if a house fire happens.
"So many times, we find victims close to the exits," he said. "Victims will come out of the bedroom and turn left like they always do to go to the front door, but the back door is right next to them."
The grant provides up to a year for the purchase and Carroll is already developing the accompanying programs. He noted that the Traverse City Fire Department will be receiving a new trailer from the same grant. That educational equipment is scheduled to arrive in the summer or fall.
"My goal is to put firefighters out of business," he said. "But there's no way that's ever going to happen because of human error or mechanical error. But I can try to prevent the loss of life."