As preschool teacher Julia Beerworth pulled on the heavy uniform, air mask and gear of an actual firefighter, most of the children at Heartworks Preschool in Shelburne watched in amusement, giggling and laughing at how very different she looked.  This was the perfect opportunity for “Firefighter Bob” to remind all of the children that fire fighters are community helpers, and friends, who will look just like Julia as they come into a burning building to help put out a fire and make sure everyone is safe.

The children listened attentively as the team from the Shelburne Fire Department spoke about fire safety. The “Stop, Drop and Roll” floor mat was a lively and fun addition to this demonstration, as children quickly practiced this safety maneuver to the cheers of their friends. Following a crawling activity underneath a blanket canopy of “smoke”, the children took turns sitting in an actual fire truck, parked at the school. At the end of their visit, the firefighters gave each child a red plastic fire hat to take home and share with their families.