Fire and life safety classes are a year round activity for Barrow County Emergency Services.
According to public information officer Lt. Scott Dakin, it is the responsibility of every firefighter to offer fire and life safety lessons to the citizens they protect and serve.
“There are many different lessons and many different ways to offer this education,” Dakin said. “It can be anything from giving a lecture in front of a large crowd in an auditorium, to using a teachable moment when on a call with a patient.”
Recently, Lt. Ernest Weant and firefighters Jeremy Little, Yogi Willis and Mike Glover visited Kennedy Elementary to teach a fire safety class to a group of second graders. The students had the opportunity to see the department’s ladder truck as part of the visit.
Helping Hands Day Care in Statham was another stop for firefighters. Lt. Chuck Savage and firefighters Bill Etheridge, Andrew Dunn and Nick Patrick worked with their students at the day care center.
Additionally, Dakin taught several safety classes at Bethlehem Elementary.
As a provider of both fire and emergency medical services, employees of Barrow County Emergency Services are trained to provide instruction in a variety of subjects including fire prevention, fall prevention, CPR and fire extinguisher classes.
Many of the classes can be adapted to the education level of the target audience.
Each time education is offered by the men and woman of the department there is a good chance that a fire, injury or even a death can be presented, Dakin said. For that reason, firefighters take their responsibility to provide safety education very seriously.
“The firefighters are able to offer education that is specific to their audience’s needs,” Dakin said. “This means that the education you receive is able to apply to your life and your situation, therefore, hopefully helping you to live a safer and healthier life.”
