As they do every year in October to observe national Fire Prevention Week, firefighters from Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company and Eastern Salisbury Fire Department, took their fire prevention and fire safety messages to classrooms in Salisbury Township schools.

Fire Prevention Week is observed across the country around the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire that destroyed half of that city in 1871 and left 300 dead.

This year marks the 100th Fire Prevention Week sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association. This year’s national theme is “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.”

As the primary presenter of school fire safety programs in Salisbury Township public and private schools, WSVFC Chief Joshua Wells told students it was “very, very important” to “get out and stay out” in the event of a home fire.

“Ask your family to hold home fire safety drills often and practice everyone meeting at a special place near your house, so you can see that everyone is out safe,” Wells said.

Wells also emphasized the importance of having a smoke detector in every bedroom and on every floor of a home. He gave students a “homework assignment” to check that their bedroom had a smoke detector. “If there is not a smoke detector in every bedroom, you tell your teacher and we’ll see that you get one,” Wells said.

He also said “playing with matches or lighters” can cause a fire and it was all right to “tell” if a brother or sister was playing with them.

After speaking of the importance of knowing how to call “911” to ask for help from police, firefighters or an ambulance, Wells emphasized everyone needs to know their address so they can tell emergency operators where to send help.

Wells asked if any of the students had “Hoverboards or electric scooters” at home. He said it was important to never leave those toys plugged in and charging at night when everyone was sleeping or when the family is not home. He cited the instances of overcharging leading to dangerous fires.

Depending on the weather on the day the firefighters were at their school, students had the opportunity to see firefighters discharging water from their engines. Many had a chance to operate the hose themselves with a bit of firefighter help.

Wells said Salisbury firefighters look forward to the Fire Prevention Week activities because of the enthusiasm of the students and because the decades of school fire safety programs has had a beneficial impact on fire safety awareness for so many Salisbury families.