Cherry Brook Primary School Students Learn About Fire Safety

Fire Marshal Adam B. Libros and members of the town of Canton Volunteer Fire and EMS Department visited Cherry Brook Primary School Thursday to educate students. 

In two separate sessions, students had the chance to hear fire safety tips, visit with Sparky the fire dog and go outside for an up-close look at a fire engine and ambulance. Those at the morning session even had the chance to see volunteers at work as the ambulance crew had to quickly leave for a medical call. 

Coordinated with Fire Prevention Week, Libros gave several fire safety tips and told the youngsters that it was up them to teach their parents. He said every family needs to set up a meeting place so firefighters could know if everyone was out of the house. He also talked about the importance of staying low if caught in a fire. 

In addition, Libros emphasized the importance of having two workable exits. 

"You want to be rabbit ready and have two ways out," he said. 

At the beginning of the program, Physical Education teacher Bill Phelps told the kids the importance of the tips. He told a story about a student who learned of the importance of keeping batteries in smoke detectors. Later there was a kitchen fire at the boy's home, which his dad put out without calling the fire department. 

Despite the father's annoyance, the boy insisted his dad put the batteries back in the smoke detector. Later the detector awakened the family. Unbeknownst to the family, the fire had gotten into the walls of the home and the detector saved their lives, Phelps said. 

Phelps said the true story illustrated the need to listen.

"The best place to educate people is in school," he said. "Some of the things you're going to learn today you're parents don't even know."