Bethel Primary joins fire simulation
The traffic was redirected on Freetown Road today while the National Fire Service conducted another of its monthly simulations. But this time, the exercise incorporated the new school fire safety program by using Bethel Primary School as the test site. The drill even included two instances of children trapped in the building and a rescue effort. While the pretend students may have needed help getting out, the Fire Service says the real children and teachers of Bethel performed their task well. News Five spoke with Principal Julie Sosa and Operations Manager Ted Smith.
Julie Sosa, Principal
“I agreed because I think it is very important. As you can see, our school is made of board, the inside is board and all around us; we have houses made of board also. And this being the season where it is very hot, a fire can start easily. I think it is important that the children know how to get out as quickly as possible.”
Karla Heusner, Reporting
“Have they had a drill or presentation before, or was this their first experience?”
Julie Sosa
“No, just yesterday, Mr. Longsworth came and fill us in. And then we had the real thing today, where we had to put into action what we were told.”
Karla Heusner
“And how did it go?”
Julie Sosa
“I think we got out quickly. That’s what I’m interested in that the children got out quickly, and we were supposed to go up at the Plaza. I think we did that. So Mr. Longsworth will come back and will discuss and tell us how we really did. But I think we got out on time, quickly enough.”
Ted Smith, Operations Manager
“We picked this particular school, because of the close proximity to residential homes. The structure, a lot of the structure is wooden, and the access to water is not that close and the heavy traffic as well. To see how the school would deal with a situation like that. If a fire develops, how would they do an orderly evacuation and go to their designated head count area, which is in the same direction our vehicle will be coming from. And they too might have to be holding up the traffic from the same direction, the west, that we will be coming from and we wanted to see how we would synchronize in with that and be obstructive as least as possible. And at the same time have a safe and orderly execution with the children.”
While the children seemed to know exactly what do so in case of fire, some of their adult counterparts Freetown Road apparently don’t. They severely damaged fire hoses by driving over them, in their impatience to get past the scene of the simulation.
