10/10/2025
Fire Prevention Week at Hickson Central Public School
As part of Fire Prevention Week, Hickson Fire Prevention Officers Chris Ward and Nathan Brenneman visited Hickson Central Public School to educate and engage students in fire safety through fun, age-appropriate, and interactive sessions.
Day One – Assembly for Grades 1–3
The first day began with a school-wide assembly for Grades 1 through 3. Chris and Nathan showed Safety Smart with Timon and Pumbaa: Wild About Safety Safety Smart at Home, a video that uses the beloved Disney characters to teach important fire safety lessons. Key messages included:
• Never playing with matches, lighters, or candles
• The importance of smoke alarms and knowing the sound they make
• Practicing a home fire escape plan
• Getting low and crawling under smoke
• Calling 9-1-1 in an emergency
• Staying outside and never going back into a burning building
After the video, the firefighters led a discussion on these lessons, emphasizing the importance of talking with family about home fire escape plans and testing smoke alarms monthly. Students also practiced “Stop, Drop, and Roll” and were reminded not to hide during a fire.
To keep things fun, the teachers competed in a firefighter gear race seeing who could gear up the fastest while students cheered them on. The event wrapped up with a lively Q&A session where students asked great questions and showed their growing interest in fire safety.
Day One – Assembly for Grades 4–6
The second assembly of the day was geared toward the older students in Grades 4 through 6. This session began with a screening of the impactful fire safety video No Time to Spare.
This powerful and realistic video shares the story of a real house fire and how quickly a small spark can turn into a life-threatening emergency. It walks viewers through the stages of a fire from the moment it starts, showing how little time there is to safely escape. The video emphasizes:
• How fast fire spreads often under two minutes to get out
• The importance of smoke alarms on every level of the home
• The need to react immediately without hesitation
• Never re-entering a burning building
• The emotional consequences when fire safety plans are not in place
After the video, Chris and Nathan led a meaningful discussion with students about the importance of getting out fast, going directly to a family meeting place, and calling 9-1-1 once safely outside. They also discussed fire safety in the kitchen and the dangers of playing with fire. Students were encouraged to take these lessons home and speak with their families about creating and practicing an escape plan.
The session wrapped up with a Q&A, followed by a fun and educational gear-up challenge. Chris and Nathan raced each other in a "race” to see who could get into full firefighting gear the fastest, showing just how quickly firefighters need to be ready when a call comes in.
Day Two – Kindergarten Fire Safety
On Day Two , the focus was on the youngest learners our Kindergarten students. Chris and Nathan began by showing Sparky's ABCs of Fire Safety, which introduces basic fire safety concepts in a fun and engaging way. After the video, the firefighters reviewed key safety tips with the children, such as staying low in smoke, knowing two ways out of every room, and the importance of working smoke alarms in every home.
They also taught the children how to perform “Stop, Drop, and Roll” in case their clothing ever catches fire. Each child practiced the steps: stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face, and rolling back and forth until the flames would be out.
To help reduce fear and build trust, one of the officers demonstrated how a firefighter puts on their full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), from pulling on boots to going on air with their SCBA. With help from the kids, this activity helped them understand that even though firefighters may look different in all that gear, it’s just a friendly helper underneath someone there to rescue and protect them.
After visiting all the JK and SK classrooms, students and teachers headed outside for an exciting hands-on experience—spraying a real fire hose! With guidance from the firefighters and encouragement from their teachers, students got to take a turn behind the hose and experience a bit of what firefighting is all about.
