Meet the Firefighter Night prepares children for what they might face in a fire

By SUZANNE MARINO
Staff Writer
MARGATE – Don’t mention to the more than 220 parents and children who crammed around Library Park for the Margate Meet the Firefighter Night Wednesday, July 19 that along with having a great at time there were learning what to do in a fire.
For more than a decade, local firefighters have invited the community to get a closer look at the firefighters and the tools and equipment they use day in and day out to put out fires and safeguard people and property.
They pulled the equipment into the park, and firefighters gave tours and let children sit behind the wheel of the pumper, the ladder truck, an ambulance, a command vehicle, and even a rescue boat.
“We give the children a talk about fire prevention; stop, drop, and roll; and we get some of our newer recruits to dress up in their self-contained breathing apparatus,” said Margate Deputy Fire Chief Anthony Tabasso.
“As the firefighter dons the next piece of equipment, he explains it. When the firefighter is fully dressed in his uniform he goes around and shakes all the kids’ hands so they are not afraid of the person behind all the equipment,” Tabasso said.
“We gear this program for the very young up to about 12 years old.”
For years the department has set up a demo fire house, and with the help of a Margate firefighter, children used a fire hose to squirt real water on the pretend flames. It proved to be a crowd favorite on a very hot night.
Tabasso said parents and their children seemed to enjoy the smoke demonstration. A tent was set up, and firefighters filled it with theatrical smoke and showed how important it is for people to stay low.
The tent provided a good lesson, and everyone had a chance to look at the smoky tent using the department’s thermal imaging camera, a tool used to help find people trapped in a fire.
“Most of the time we are dealing with small children. Our goal is to enable them and along the way, educate the parent. The parents leave better-able to prepare for their family in case of a fire,” said Tabasso. Gwen Meade of the Margate Library said the night is a popular event.
“Members of the community seem to really enjoy meeting the firefighters. There is really something to be said about not just knowing the town has a fire department, but actually meeting the firefighters and putting a face together with a name. People really love this event year after year.”
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