Saving lives one child at a time

Seaford Manor School students learned a bunch of skills they hope they will never need last week, as they found out from the experts what to do in case of a fire.

The Seaford Fire Department visited the school for its annual fire safety demonstration. A team of a half-dozen firefighters, already accustomed to volunteering, took time out of their day to meet with children on Oct. 13.

The program began with a school-wide assembly. Students saw firefighter Alec Liotta put on his full gear, then watched a video that touched on topics such as having an escape plan, knowing two ways out, and avoiding playing with matches.

Then, class by class, students went outside and visited the department’s fire safety, also known as the smokehouse. The children went in, and the rooms filled with fake smoke while smoke detectors went off. They had to feel a door to see if it was hot, then escape through a window with the help of a firefighter.

Mike Bellissimo, an assistant chief with the Seaford Fire Department, said having children go through the smokehouse gives them an experience they can get in no other way. “To come out here and actually do it, it really sets in,” he said. “It gives them a visual.”

Bellissimo added that by having children participate in the fire safety program year after year, it reinforces the message. “The main goal is just to educate,” he said, adding that he hopes the students will go home and have discussions with their parents about fire safety.

While the hope is that the children will never have to put into practice most of what they learned, one thing firefighters said they must do is make sure they have working smoke detectors in their homes. “A five-dollar smoke detector can save a life,” Bellissimo said.

The Seaford Fire Department has been visiting the school for more than 20 years. Last week’s program followed the Oct. 4 open house at the Seaford firehouse, all part of its community outreach for Fire Prevention Month.

Fifth-grader Connor Lochner, whose uncle is a former Seaford fire chief, said it is important to have an escape plan in case of a fire. “You need to know what to do so you can be safe,” he said.

Paige Birch, a fifth-grader, said she enjoyed seeing Liotta put on all the firefighter gear. She learned that under all that equipment is a regular person who is there to help.

Firefighter Frank Soliwoda said his daughters used to enjoy the fire safety demonstrations when they were kids. He stressed the importance of the school visits, and said it is part of the Fire Department’s responsibility to Seaford.

“Fire Prevention Month is a good time to interact with the community,” he said, “and at the same time, hopefully they’ll learn something.”