(Cross-posted from the family blog)
As I think I mentioned, we've been having an Emergency Services unit for school, and after we toured the Police Station we thought we should tour the Fire Station too! I haven't been to a fire station tour since I had Cub Scouts. The tour was SO good! The firefighters seemed happy to have something to do and people to talk to. Even the chief came out and talked to us for a while. There was one man who was officially giving the tour, but the other three men on duty all gathered around and walked with us too, interjecting helpful comments. Eventually it turned into each child basically having his or her own personal guide and escort who could answer every little question. So great!
We went to the fire station close to us, a relatively new one. It was fun to imagine what it would be like to live there for several days a week with your team, cooking meals and learning new skills and watching movies together at night. Almost like Scout Camp or something, but better. :) We got to see the sleeping rooms and gym and kitchen and everything, as well as the fire engines, of course!
The little boys were very impressed with the "Jaws of Life", especially after the firefighters crushed a can with them
Trying on headsets in the fire engine
The girls were flattered too because the firemen were so nice to them, saying what good questions they asked, and praising their ballet/running fitness skills, and trying to convince them to join a fire crew in a few years. They told the girls, "Some of our best firefighters are women!" They were very persuasive. The job sounded pretty fun when they described it!
And Ziggy, of course, was just totally thrilled by the whole thing.
For days and days afterwards, all the little boys wanted to play was Fireman. They made fire trucks out of blocks and loaded them up with all kinds of equipment (and then had me come listen to their "tours").
Ziggy chopped his way into our house with his axe and sprayed everything with his hose (just for pretend, thank goodness, but only because the hose isn't hooked up to the water right now).
And he hung his firefighter gear in readiness next to his bike, with everything laid out for optimally quick entry (even his boots tucked into his pants just like the firemen had theirs!).
Here are the two little boys up on the hill, having raced there in great excitement when they heard sirens. "Maybe it's our firemen!" I confess we now check every ambulance and fire truck we see, hoping it's "our" firemen. They were so nice! It makes it fun to drive by the fire station now when we're out and about, just knowing what's inside and feeling almost like we have friends there.
