Fire Truck Rides to School

Posted at: 10/12/2012 3:23 PM

For most kids, every day it's to and from school in a big yellow  bus.

For two lucky Duluth students, Wednesday was a break in the routine.  A kindergartner from Congdon School and third grade student from Piedmont School got rides to school in a fire truck and arrived at school to find friends waiting for their arrival.

The students won the rides for making and practicing their own fire escape plans with their families.

To prepare your family for fast escape from a fire, follow these steps:

• Draw a diagram of your home; mark windows and doors, and plan two ways out of each room.
• Plan for every member of your family, including very young or elderly persons who may not be able to get out on their own.
• Be sure your doors and windows open easily from the inside. They should be a way to escape.
• Teach toddlers not to hide from firefighters. A tour of your local fire station will allow them to see firefighters in full turnout gear, and you can explain that these people want to help them. A list of Fire Prevention Month Open Houses at Minnesota Fire Stations will help you plan.
• Teach your kids that if they see smoke, they should crawl low, underneath it, to protect themselves.
• Teach children to touch doors before opening if they’re reacting to a fire alarm; a hot door means that exit is blocked by fire, and they should use the other way out.
• Plan an outside meeting place for everyone in your home, and teach children not to go back inside.