Sixty pre-school students of Naomi Blatch Pre-School along with their principal, Joyann Wells, and teachers visited Police Headquarters, Fire Services Division, January 27, 2017 to learn about fire safety and understand the functioning of the fire station.

The students also got the opportunity to ride the fire engine and pay a courtesy call to the Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade.

The students visited Police Headquarters as part of an ongoing effort to teach children fire safety and the way the fire station functions from an early age.

When asked about the experience at the Police headquarters, Principal Ms. Wells said, “We are trying as a school to partner with the police and to instill morals and principles they need even at pre-school age to become positive citizens of the country of the Bahamas. We are in total support of what the police are doing to keep the country safe and welcome more exposure to such things to children starting from a small age.”

Additionally, the children were given lessons from Constable Aneka Adderley on fire safety rules and what to do if a fire happens. Constable Adderley conducted fire safety exercises on the importance of smoke detectors, using the emergency number 919, and also how best to react in the case of a fire.

The children were able to participate and demonstrate the ‘stop, drop and roll’ technique that should be used if your clothes have caught on fire. Constable Adderley left the students with encouraging words saying, “To be a firefighter you have to go to school and get a good education, and be good boys and girls.”

Although, learning about police and firefighters was very important for the students, Principal Wells stated, “The highlight of the day for the children was getting to ride around in a fire engine and it’s something they won’t forget."

Director of Fire Services Superintendent Walter Evans said the students are part of an ongoing interactive initiative in which youth are introduced to how Fire Services functions and learn proper fire safety techniques.

Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade encouraged the children and teachers of Naomi Blatch to continue in their efforts saying, “What we do today with them and getting good stuff in their minds from early is what is really going to matter for the future of this Bahamas. We have schools that see us every year from pre-school to high school, and we encourage you to continue to come.”

Principal Ms. Wells and Senior Assistant at Naomi Blatch, Ms. Thompson, along with the pre-school students, presented the Commissioner of Police with a poster of a fire hydrant, designed and signed by the students and teachers at Naomi Blatch pre-school, to show support at the end of their visit. (BIS Photos/Letisha Henderson)

Bahamas Information Services