By Mark Reynolds
Milton, Marlboro and Middle Hope fire departments brought their fire trucks and an assortment of equipment to the Marlboro Elementary School last Friday to teach the kids about fire safety and the importance of having working smoke detectors throughout the home.
Marlboro Fire Chief Michael Troncillito said Fire Prevention Week was October 6-12.
“This year’s theme was Smoke Detectors, Make Them Work For You," he said. “Fourth and fifth graders do essays and the top 5 in each class get a plaque and kindergarten through 3rd grade did posters, all with a smoke detector theme.”
Troncillito said each year the state Fire Protection Agency picks the theme. He, along with other department members, read and choose the winning essays and posters.
Troncillito said a large blowup house was purchased that contains instructive rooms inside for the kids to learn about fire safety.
“When you go through it, it has a kitchen that shows you some safety features written up on the wall and then you go through a living room, which has a fireplace and other things about fire safety. Then the kids come into a bedroom and they get a kick out of getting to jump out a window, with the help from several firefighters,” he said. “There are all safety features inside and when they have fun they seem to learn a little bit more.”
Troncillito said the day before they had kindergartners come to the firehouse, “and we do some extra fire safety there with them. They watched a video and they practiced stop, drop and roll.”
The department handed out a number of awards; in Monica Taddeo’s 3rd grade class, Gianna Thomas won 3rd Place for her poster and the Best overall poster was by Liam Bui, who is in Aneisha Cunningham’s 3rd grade class.
Troncillito concluded by thanking the three departments for coming out to the elementary school.
“We were able to put together enough people and put this on for the school because fire safety education is a top priority,” he said.
Highland Asst Chief Jeff DiMetro said his department instructed the kids about smoke alarms and how to stay safe in an emergency at their open house last Saturday.
DiMetro said Ulster County Emergency Management provided a smoke trailer, someone from the Ulster County Sheriff’s office to check car seats, their dive team and provided child safety identification cards for parents.
“We’re actually calling this Child Safety Day as we have all facets involved here as well as New Paltz EMS Rescue Squad and New York State Troopers,” he said. “The trucks are show-and-tell with members standing by to answer any questions.”
DiMetro said they held a raffle for kids to win toy prizes, Sam’s Club donated hamburgers, hot dogs and buns for lunch, Stewart’s Shops provided ice cream and Fred DeMaio, of Minard’s Farm, contributed apple cider.
“I’d like to give a big thanks to the Ladies Auxiliary because they get all the toys and run that and help by serving the ice cream and food. They are a big part of allowing us to do what we do,” he said. “Another thank you goes to Lowe’s for their donation of water as well as smoke and fire suppressors.”
DiMetro stressed the importance of having smoke detectors throughout the home, “because fire dynamics the way they are and fires doubling quickly and hotter, the sooner somebody can be alerted to a fire or a problem and get to safety, the better for us.”