Fire Chief Joel E. McColl,
City of Savage Fire Department

The weekend consisted of inviting a total sixteen twelve year old boys and girls to live at the fire station for a weekend.

The entire weekend was designed around the Courage to Be Safe (SM) training of the Nation Fallen Firefighters Foundation's Everyone Goes Home® Program.

This idea was brought to us through Mr. Crawford Weistling, State Advocate for the Everyone Goes Home® Program. Without Mr. Weistlings collaboration, cooperation and communication none of this would have been possible. Mr. Weistling has always been, and continues to be, an inspiration for the fire service when it comes to promoting firefighter life safety initiatives.

Our local firefighters strive to support the 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives. Initiative #14 talks about public education. Some of the other initiatives that the local firefighters have addressed or continue to address are:

1. Improved radio communication.
2. High-visibility jackets issued to all firefighters when working on the roadways.
3. High-visibility vests inside of all fire trucks to be worn over the turn-out gear.
4. Better flashlights purchased for the responders to be carried with them at all times.
5. Chevron markings on the new equipment that has been ordered.
6. Approved DOT highway safety signs purchased and placed on the two front line engines that can be quickly set-up tp protect the responders.
7. Sarah's Story PSA has been implemented into the driver's education program in the community. All new drivers now see that video as part of their classroom education.
8. First ever Junior Firefighters Dream Weekend program was established and carried out.
9. Seatbelt policies have been implemented.
10. Dust masks have been made available when cutting glass while at an auto extrication.
11. Promoting the Responder Safety and Firefighter Close calls web sites.
12. Promoting and educating of the 16 life safety initiatives for the local firefighters.

These are just some of the items that have been completed over the last five years. There are still many more to come that will hopefully reduce both civilian and firefighter injuries.

The firefighters spent many hours prior to this event planning, asking questions, working with State Advocate Mr. Weistling, League of Minnesota Cities, City Attorney and staff members for direction and implementation.

• Advertise the program.
• Thursday evening prior to the weekend there was a mandatory meeting of parents and/or legal guardians to have release forms signed, gain medical information and to inform them of what their children could expect to experience.

• 09:00 - 09:15 registration
• 09:15 - 10:00 break into squads receive t-shirts, bunk space and get acclimated to the new surroundings.
• 10:00-11:45 Hose Streams
• 11:45 - 12:00 Clean-up
• 12:00 - 13:00 Lunch
• 13:00 - 15:00 Auto Extrication
• 15:00 - 15:30 Break
• 15:30 - 17:30 Aerial Work, Search and Rescue, Donning of PPE, Thermal Imaging Cameras
• 17:30 - 19:00 Dinner
• 19:00 - 20:00 Home Visits
• 20:00 - 21:30 Home Visits
• 21:30 - 23:00 Free Time (pool, ping-pong, foosball)
• 23:00 Lights out

• 07:00 - 07:30 Rise and shine, Get Cleaned Up
• 07:30: - 08:30 Breakfast
• 08:30 - 09:30 EMS Class
• 09:30 - 11:00 Confined Space
• 11:00 Set for lunch and preparation for the ending ceremony.
• 12:00 Lunch with the Families
• 13:00 Certification Ceremony
• 14:00 Put everything away and go home

It appears as though the kids took a lot of breaks, but we must remember that they were issued hard hats, safety glasses, gloves and a light weight jacket to be worn during the entire weekend. Each exercise took a considerable amount of time and effort to accomplish and the kids were conducting the work. Just like firefighters they too need to be rehabbed from time to time.

Below is a very short and quick synopsis of each event:

Hose Streams
A firefighter would give a 20 minute class on the importance of selected hose streams, the water distribution system and hose lays. Then the kids had water fights using their new found knowledge. We used a 2 1/2 inch line directly off of the hydrant into a gated wye that also had a reduced amount of pressure and then this went into two 1 3/4 inch hand-lines.

Auto-Extrication
The kids had a 20 minute classroom on the importance of seat belts, auto-extrication safety and patient care. Then the kids were allowed to deflate the tires, break the glass, and cut windows. The firefighters then cut the cars apart while the kids watched.

Confined Space
The kids donned safety gear, crawled through a tube and had to secure their scene and complete patient packing and remove the victim to a safe location.

EMS
The kids learned the importance of CPR and AED's and how they work. Demonstrations were completed by the firefighters. And then the kids had the opportunity to accomplish both hands on and education through direct dialogue about personell safety and techniques of this exercise.

Search and Rescue
The kids wore a mask with wax paper on it and had to conduct a search of the training room looking for a stuffed animal wearing their helmets, scba mask, glove and jackets.

There were many more items and activities covered throughout the weekend. For more information feel free to contact me at: 952-882-2689.

Also:
» Child's Dream Weekend Teaches Kids the Courage to Be Safe(SM)