REGINA – Students at Seven Stones Community School received a lesson in fire safety Monday afternoon, but they weren’t sitting at a desk or doing homework.
Instead, the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students received a hands-on experience from fire officials.
The scenario is a fire in the home where the youngsters must roll out of bed, and crawl through a dark tunnel, simulating smoke.
After making it through to a safe area, the students practiced dialing calls to 9-1-1 to alert authorities.
It’s a realistic exercise Regina Fire said will ensure the lesson hits home.
“You can teach a kid anything you want by speaking to them, but once they do it, it just reinforces those techniques, and they’ll remember it,” Cpt. Scott Zepic said.
“Particularly for our youngest students, having the opportunity to role play through a simulation, gives them the thought that I could really do the right decision when it comes to making that decision,” Seven Stones Community School principal Jay Fladager explained.
The innovative safety program is put on by Regina Fire and Regina Police Service. In addition, the program teaches the older students about the hazards of fire setting, and the consequences of mischief.
“We’re giving them information they hadn’t really thought of before and they’re realizing this is dangerous behaviour and it’s not worth it,” Regina Fire public education officer Angela Prawzick said.