Robbinsdale Fire Department Educates Youngest Citizens in Fire Prevention Month
Robbinsdale Fire Department Fire Marshal Greg Brodin has spent nearly all his life educating the public about fire prevention.
“We’d much rather prevent a fire than respond to a fire,” Brodin said.
That often begins with school visits and field trips to the fire station for kids as young as preschool-aged during October, which is Fire Prevention Month.
“We start with things like stop, drop, and roll, crawling low under smoke,” said Brodin. “We talk about simple things like how to get a hold of us here at the fire station. 911, what does that mean, who can you get when you call that number?”
Firefighters also talk about what causes a fire and how to easily prevent dangerous situations.
“This year we’ll be emphasizing kitchen fire safety, a little bit,” Brodin said. “One of the leading causes of fires is in the kitchen, but even children can be aware, and seniors, particularly, we work on kitchen fire safety.”
This year, like so many others, firefighters have printed fire safety manuals for age-appropriate audiences that they can hand out, and those were paid for by local businesses.
“We so appreciate their donations, which allows us, in every classroom we go to, to give the kids a bag that includes a manual that reminds them of everything we talked about,” said Brodin. “One of our goals is to not only do education but develop relationships, develop some rapport so that these children see us resources as people that can help them, as friends that they can call if they have a need and we will come.”
