October is Fire Prevention Month and with that comes reminders to our elementary students about prevention and safety from our friends at the Cohoes Fire Department, who visited all three elementary schools to spread awareness about fire safety.
In 1922, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) named the second week of October Fire Prevention Week in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871.
Firefighters reminded the kids that they can only call 911 for legitimate emergencies and asked them if they all knew their home address. They told students to always sleep with their bedroom door closed and to never hide if there is a fire. They also told those whose bedrooms are on the second floor to throw toys or stuffed animals out of their window to let first responders know they are upstairs.
Most importantly, they reminded students about the importance of having a working smoking detector and to perform a fire drill and have a safety plan at home in case of a fire.
Firefighters carefully put on their gear, piece by piece, to demonstrate to students what they look like fully suited up. Allowing the kids 
to get up close and touch the equipment helped ease any fears they might have had.
Perhaps the most fun part of every Fire Safety Day is getting to sit inside the fire trucks! Students took turns climbing up the steps and getting a bird’s eye view!Thank you to the Cohoes Fire Department for visiting our schools year after year and helping to keep our community safe.