Youth learn about fire safety

The Grade 5 pupils were thrilled to get up close to a fire engine and watch a fire fighter don his fire-fighting kit. Ivory Park fire education’s public information, education and relations officer Esther Zwane said, “Children learn through play, that is why we teach them fire, road and water safety in a playful manner, but they hold on to the message.”

She explained that the department has had incidents where the young react fearfully towards fire fighters because of the clothes. “It is crucial for us to have a fire fighter don the fire-fighting kit in front of young children so that they do not get scared by the strange-looking kit with a mask, when they respond to house fires. At times children hide under beds from fire fighters, instead of rushing to them for help.”

She said that when calling the emergency number, children often cry on the phone and fail to give the information of what has happened. “Parents must teach children the house number, street name, [and suburb] or the name of the complex they live in so that they can give the correct information to emergency personnel.”

Zwane revealed that many of the cases the fire department responded to involved a child burnt by pots that they pull off the stove, hot bath water and shack fires.

Metro police officer, Ayanda Mbewu, taught the pupils about road safety. “[When crossing a road] first, look right, listen for oncoming cars, then look left and listen, and finally look right. When the road is clear they can cross.” She also taught them that they can safely cross the road when the robot is green, at a stop sign, pedestrian crossing and pedestrian bridges on freeways. She also explained that they can cross a road with the help of a scholar patrol and Metro police officer.

A teacher at the school, Urvasha Prithipal, said fire and road safety are part of the natural science syllabus that pupils should know.

“We thought it would be great for them to come and learn first-hand from fire fighters,” she added.