SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KFSM) — Springdale students are getting special training from local fire departments during fire prevention week.
On Wednesday (Oct. 9) at Jones Elementary School students spent the morning learning about fire safety in a fun and interactive way.
“The best way to put out a fire is not with water contrary to most people's opinions. That’s the second plan. The primary plan is not to have a fire,” Fire Captain Matt Bagley said.
Fire prevention week is observed around the country each year during the week of October 9th.
This year’s theme is “not all heroes wear capes.”
“Doing the right thing, keeping people safe in your family, considering other people and their safety as much as you're considering your own, that’s what really being a hero is about,” Bagley said.
Fire departments are visiting local elementary schools teaching kids how to be prepared for a house fire.
Each day begins with an assembly where kids learn the importance of planning a fire escape.
While at school, students get to practice what they learn in an escape inflatable safety house.
“It's just a bridge of what they learned inside to putting into practice in our pretend house and we have them bail out the window, land on the cushion and then go to our mailbox that’s our family meeting spot,” Bagley said.
Vice Principal Jake Beers says he loves watching students learn valuable life lessons.
"An authentic experience like this where kids are getting the feel of what it sounds like when they hear the smoke alarm and what to do in that situation I think really helps them to prepare in case of a crisis to know what to do," Beers said. "Just like we do at drills here at school for fire drills once a month the same is true for this."
During fire prevention week, each school participating encourages kids to create their own fire escape plan to practice with their families.
One student from each school will be announced the winner for the best escape plan. Each winner will get the chance to ride to school one morning in a fire truck.