Rugby school pupils get all fired up about fire safety!
Pupils at Henry Hinde Junior School in Rugby recently got a valuable lesson in fire safety from some local heroes.
Fire fighters from the Green Watch crew at Rugby Fire Station jumped in their fire engine to visit the Bilton school and presented two sessions on fire safety to some enthusiastic Year 5 (Key Stage 2) pupils.
The sessions were arranged as part of Warwickshire Fire & Rescue’s ongoing programme of fire safety education in schools.
Crew Manager, John Wilson and Fire Fighter, Gary Robinson had a captive audience as they lead the interactive sessions, which gave the pupils important fire safety information about smoke alarms, fire escape plans, the dangers of hoax calls and a reminder of how to ‘stop, drop and roll’ if you catch on fire!
The lessons reinforced what they’d been taught when they were visited by fire fighters in Year 1 (Key Stage 1) but also introduced some new subjects. The pupils should get another visit when they move into Year 7 (Key Stage 3) at secondary school.
John Wilson, Crew Manager at Rugby Fire Station, said: “The work we do with schools is extremely important. We find the kids have retained the information we’ve taught them even when we go back to see them in Year 7.
“I think seeing fire fighters in the flesh, rather than the pupils having their normal tutor, makes a huge difference and they are generally eager to see us. What’s great is that the pupils also pass the information onto their parents.”
Ruth Greenhalgh, Schools Liaison Officer for Community Fire Safety, Warwickshire County Council, said: “The aim of the schools programme is to develop the children’s knowledge and understanding of fire safety behaviour and to provide them with fire survival skills.
“A recent evaluation of Rugby pupils who had taken part in the schools programme showed that their fire safety knowledge had increased from 80% to 91%! Fire fighters are excellent role models and the best people to educate children about fire safety.”
Other schools visited by the Rugby fire fighters recently include Clifton-upon-Dunsmore C of E Primary School, Harris School, Bilton C of E Junior School and Leamington Hastings C of E Junior School.