Mount Vernon Leadership receives visit from the fire department for National Fire Prevention Week
Mount Vernon Leadership Academy students received a visit from the Mount Vernon Fire Department (MVFD) for National Fire Prevention Week, and firefighters presented safety tips and taught students how to avoid fires. Firefighters also showed their firetruck to students after the assembly, which was held on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
The fire prevention assembly is organized every year by Teaching Assistant Lauren Wynn, who has also written a children’s book about fire safety, which she included Mount Vernon firefighters in.
“Fire safety is something that our students need to practice beyond just fire drills,” said MVLA Assistant Principal Matthew Wilbekin. “Our finest heroes from Mount Vernon come every year to go over fire safety. Also, it's very important that they see the firemen in their gear, as one of our firefighters demonstrated, so that they’re not afraid.”
MVFD Captain Charles Grant introduced the students to several firefighters. They gave a detailed rundown of how students can stay safe from fire, including when and how to call firefighters, fire risks to avoid and when to notify an adult of a fire hazard.
“I think that the earlier you teach a child about fire safety, the more it will be absorbed,” said Captain Grant. “They’re in the learning stage now, so why not inform them and give them information with regards to being safe at a young age. We do this as often as we can, especially when it is organized well by the school, so that we can go ahead and affect the majority of the kids.”
Captain Grant also called a student up to the stage to demonstrate the proper way to stop, drop and roll. Students left with plenty of knowledge that will help them if they are ever in a dangerous situation with fire.
“I learned that when there is a fire, you should go out and call the police instead of just calling the police inside, you should call outside,” said third-grade student Jonathan Ramos.
Students were then brought outside, where a fire truck was waiting for them. Firefighters showed them the inside and outside of the truck, demonstrating different tools and compartments within the truck. Pre-K students received fire hats, and kindergarten students received a miniature fire hydrant.
“I thought that the presentation was pretty cool, and I liked it because it spread awareness to me that I should not play with matches or fire and I should tell an adult when I’m using the stove,” said Cailyn Jones, sixth-grade student at MVLA.
Firefighters were given tumblers as a thank you gift from Ms. Wynn at the end of their visit.
“What I learned today is that fire prevention is really important, and you can’t really play around with fire because it’s really bad and it could cause a big fire,” said Sherlin Suero, MVLA sixth-grade student.