Citizenship and Community Helpers: Our Fire Safety Adventure

We are very lucky to live in a community with such excellent public resources. Whenever we schedule a community trip to the post office, police station or fire station, we always have an enthusiastic, welcoming response. 

IT IS APPRECIATED!

Whenever we take community trips, we are not only focusing on the task at hand, whether it be learning about the mail system or visiting a veterinary clinic to learn about different jobs, but we are also constantly applying many seemingly hidden skills including social interaction, functional communication, attending to a speaker, ambulating (therapist-speak for walking/navigating) following two-step directions and engaging in appropriate behavior across environments. These are the skills that are going to help our kids reach their highest level of independence as they move towards adulthood. 

Last week's CBI trip took us to the local fire station for a tour and safety lesson. We were met by Division Chief R. who took us around the fire station and explained the role of a firefighter as a community helper. 

 He showed us around the fire station...

 And even let us explore a fire truck!

 We were in heaven!

 We talked about the tools a firefighter uses and reviewed fire safety tips. 

We answered some questions and showed off what we know about safety (calling 9-1-1, leaving the house when there is a fire).

 Chief R. showed us around the training trailer and shared kitchen safety tips. We practiced evacuating during a simulated kitchen fire.

 We learned about the special uniforms firefighters wear and even got to touch an actual uniform.

 It was pretty cool!

Finally we posed for a group picture with Chief R. and a fully uniformed firefighter.

We are thankful for the opportunity to go out in the community twice a month- what a change from how special education programs were run even back when we were students! It's so great for us to have the chance to apply what we're learning in the classroom, and it's also a perfect opportunity to dispel stereotypes about people with disabilities by showing our community who we are and what we can do!