Countryside Fire Dist. smoke trailer visits 4th grade

The Countryside Fire District has been visiting 4th grade students in Diamond Lake School, Hawthorn Elementary South and Townline Elementary Schools to provide a follow up to the Great Escape Challenge.

"In fall, all the 4th graders in our fire district, about 1200 students, completed the Great Escape Challenge program and now have an opportunity to practice the skills they learned" said Tony Rodkey, Public Education Coordinator for Countryside Fire District.

The smoke trailer is sponsored by the Lake County Fire Chief's Association. The smoke trailer has props such as a fireplace, kitchen, and bedroom with a heated door rooms to help explain the importance of fire safety. The trailer is also equipped to smoke up the interior. This exercise reinforces that anyone in smoke filled rooms need to crawl in order to breathe easier, see better and be cooler because in real conditions, smoke is a heated gas and rises.

Part of the smoke trailer is also learning how valuable having an escape plan is so you know what to do and where to go in the event of a fire, says Rodkey. Smoke alarms are also placed throughout the smoke trailer to help students understand that a working smoke alarms help save lives and is key to the plan. Countryside Fire District will be using the smoke trailer to reach all the 4th graders in Country Meadow Elementary, Fremont Intermediate, Aspen Elementary, John Powers and Hawthorn Elementary North schools before the end of the school year.