Photo courtesy of Fire Chief Jack Williams

The Jefferson Fire Department was able to bring back a long-held tradition of community engagement with area youngsters.

Fire Chief Jack Williams says firefighters visited with students at Greene County Elementary School last Friday to wrap up National Fire Prevention Week. He points out they weren’t able to have this activity last year because of COVID-19 and visitor restrictions at the school. He talks about the importance of the preventative programs and the kids seeing them in their full firefighter gear.

“Because I would rather have the kids have an idea of what we look like when we come in because you can’t see our faces, and we’re in dark, black gear, so it could be a little traumatic for kids. So I think if they see us at that young of an age it definitely helps, if and when they need us in the future.”   

Williams adds the topics that were covered with the kids included “Stop, Drop and Roll,” keeping bedroom doors closed to isolate a fire that is in another part of the home, and their procedures of when they enter homes for fires. The kids got to see a fire truck and use the fire hoses under supervision.