Fire Prevention Week took place October 3-9 this year. The annual event has long been celebrated by local fire departments across the country as an avenue to educate children — and by extension the greater public — around fire safety and prevention. Both the Dysart and Traer fire departments held events this week for local schoolchildren.

Brenda Kaufmann’s North Tama Elementary School second grade class visited the Traer Fire Station on Thursday, October 7 as part of Fire Prevention Week. Chief Tyler Sell and department member Tristan Timmons demonstrated to the eager, well-mannered students what it takes for a firefighter to suit up ahead of a call for service. “Some people think we look scary,” Chief Sell told the class once Timmons was fully dressed, “we’re not scary.” Chief Sell also discussed the sounds that might be heard as it relates to fire prevention including the emergency notification sound department members get on their pagers. After taking questions from the group — including the insightful “What happens if the fire station is on fire?” from student Hunter Stoakes — the class got to have a snack in the station break room/kitchen.

Members of the Dysart Community Fire Department visited DG Elementary Tuesday afternoon as part of a schoolwide fire drill after which several classes including Mrs. Neizke’s and Ms. Weepie’s kindergarten classes (pictured) took a 10 minute ride on a fire truck around town. First grade students also received a ride, while the third and fourth grade classes went on a tour of the downtown fire station.