References:

• Essentials of Fire Fighting, Fourth Edition, Chapter 19
• Fire Safety for Young Children: A Curriculum Guide

Motivation:

Objective (SPO) 1-1: The student will demonstrate a basic knowledge of personal protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus and be able to present a program and explain its use to an audience of young children.

Overview:

Presenting the “Firefighter is a Friend” Program

• Characteristics of fire
• Why firefighters need special clothing
• Describing the turnout gear
• Describing the SCBA
• Dressing a firefighter
• The firefighter gets low and crawls
• Practice presentation

• Do not relate this to a monster (such as Darth Vader – remember he was the bad guy)
• You can talk about the equipment and then while dressing, do a “refresher” or you can talk about each piece as you put it on. Be sure to do most of the talking before the facepiece is on.
• This can also be done with one firefighter talking while the other firefighter dons the PPE and SCBA
• Be sure to arrive at the site in street clothes or station uniform - NOT in your PPE and SCBA.
• Lay out the clothing and SCBA so that it is accessible and in order of donning.

SPO 1-1	The student will demonstrate a basic knowledge of personal protective equipment and self-contained breathing apparatus and be able to present a program and explain its use to an audience of young children.
EO 1-1-1	Describe the characteristics of fire (heat, light, smoke).
EO 1-1-2	Explain why firefighters need special clothing and SCBA.
EO 1-1-3	Identify each piece of personal protective clothing (boots, pants, hood, coat, helmet and gloves).
EO 1-1-4	Describe the parts of the SCBA.
EO 1-1-5	Don protective equipment and SCBA.
EO 1-1-6	Crawl and interact with the audience.
EO 1-1-7	Present the program.

Note: When making a presentation, the firefighter needs to be on the same language level as the audience.

I. Characteristics of Fire

• Hot, what you feel
  • Relate to oven, woodstove, fireplace, grill, curling iron, etc.
  • Ask what happens when you touch something hot
• Flame – what you see
  • Talk about the color
  • Is it hot close to the flame
• Smoke
  • If you breathe it, you cough
  • What happens to smoke outside
  • What happens to smoke inside
  • What color is the smoke.

• Protects the firefighter from heat and smoke
• Interact with the audience on what parts of the body are covered.
• Protects the lungs

• Boots
  • Keeps your feet dry
  • Keeps your feet warm – relate to winter boots
  • Steel toe – firefighters’ toes don’t get “smushed”
  • Steel shank – protect bottom of foot, work on ladder
  • Handles
• Pants
  • Protect the legs
  • Stored with the boots – note how fast to put on
  • Three layers
  • Suspenders
    • Ask why firefighters wear suspenders
    • Ask what color they are
  • Stripes – talk about glow (reflect)
  • Knee pads for crawling
• Hood
  • Covers head, hair, neck and ears
  • Ask if hair can burn.
  • Material – like race car drivers
• Coat
  • Relate to winter coat – but firefighter wears it all year
  • Three layers – just like the pants
  • Pockets – Ask what firefighter might carry
  • Stripes – glow
  • Lettering – Ask if they know the letters
  • Zipper, hooks, snaps
• Helmet
  • Hard shell – like a turtle
  • Suspension system – cushion
  • Ear flaps
  • Shield – can you see through it?
  • Ask if they know the number
• Gloves
  • Leather, lining
  • Move fingers
  • Protect from heat and cold
  • What color

• Air tank (cylinder)
  • Clean air in the cylinder (“squished” in)
  • Analogy to a soda can sound when opened
• Bell/alarm
  • Explain warning device
  • Listen when cylinder is turned on
  • Be sure to tell them BEFORE you do it.
• Harness
  • Where is it worn.
  • Analogy to a back pack
  • Why does a firefighter wear it on the back?
• Facepiece
  • Looks different, sound different
  • Important – a firefighter can still see and breathe
  • If older unit, talk about low pressure hose and spider on the facepiece.
• Connection
  • How does air get from the cylinder to the facepiece
  • If mask-mounted regulator, talk about turn and click

• Boots and pants first
• Hood, then coat
• SCBA and facepiece
• Helmet and gloves
• Connect SCBA and breathe

• Once dressed and on air, crawl around and among the students
• Turn down lights so that the reflective stripes glow.
• Use a flashlight
• Allow children to touch the equipment if they want to.
• Talk to the children so they can hear your voice through the facepiece
• Ask the teacher or group leader to assist with class control
• Remove each piece of SCBA and clothing and ask what it is.
• Ask for questions (some children need to be reminded about what a question is)
• Thank the class for letting you come and share.

• Select two firefighters to present (or ask for volunteers)
• Instruct the remaining students to role play as students
• Critique the presentation.

Review:

Presenting the “Firefighter is a Friend” Program

• Characteristics of Fire
• Why firefighters need special clothing
• Describing the turnout gear
• Describing the SCBA
• Dressing a firefighter
• Firefighter crawl and glow
• Practice presentation

Remotivation:

Assignment: