by Jessica Tomhave
The Sartell Fire Department welcomed 400 area kindergartners to enjoy behind-the-scene glimpses of the fire station Oct. 10-12 during annual Fire Safety Month.
For most of those young students, it was their very first school field trip, and what a lasting memory it must have been for them. The excitement was palpable in their starry eyes, delighted squeals and jumping feet while touring around the rescue vehicles in the large garage and being wowed by all the firefighter gear hanging up in the locker room.
Each student was offered a hands-on opportunity to train like real firefighters, such as spraying a fire hose at a prop house. That activity was a favorite among the children.
When the Newsleaders asked what they thought of getting a chance to spray the fire hose, one girl, Nova Willie, gave a big wide smile and a thumbs-up gesture.
But it wasn’t all just fun and games. They also learned from the experts, with a little help from Sparky the Fire Safety Dog, about fire safety, emergency-action plans and getting up close and comfortable with uniformed firefighters.
Firefighter Rusty Deters said building a good safety relationship with kids is one of the most important benefits of field trips and school visits. The fire station field trips have become a long-standing tradition spanning more than 40 years, allowing some firefighters to see generations of kids grow throughout the years.
Deters has been the organizer for kids’ events since joining the department in 2020 and when he talks about his role, he seems almost as excited as the visiting students. For him and for all the firefighters, October (Fire Safety Month) is a favorite time of year, filled with community engagement and the chance to teach kids and their families fire-safety tips.
In addition to student outreach, the fire station’s annual open house was on Oct. 12 and offered residents time to visit with firefighters, explore the fleet of rescue vehicles, create an emergency-action plan with their children, spray a fire hose, enjoy some tasty treats and receive free fire-alarm batteries and other helpful goodies, thanks to the support of Batteries Plus and area sponsors.
Because of that support, school involvement and the fire department’s dedication, thousands of kids have an “I remember when . . .” moment from their field trip to the fire station, including the department’s Assistant Chief Lucas Dingmann, a native of Rice, who has served as a firefighter for 18 years. He said he remembers his own long-ago class field trip fondly.
The Sartell Fire Department’s open-house legacy is strong – from the 1960s when classroom visits began to the 1980s when the fire station hosted its first kindergarteners. These events always bring joy to students, residents and firefighters alike. So many people look forward to the next year’s excitement and connections; thus, the tradition lives on.
photo by Jessica Tomhave
Students surround Dustin Tomhave, the father of Miles Tomhave of Sartell, who is dressed in 50 pounds of firefighting gear. The demonstration was a way to show children they should not be afraid of firefighters, no matter how scary their gear might seem. At the left is firefighter Adam Imholte. Tomhave is the father of Miles Tomhave, a student at Oak Ridge Elementary Learning Center.
Suzanne Robben’s kindergarten students listen as Assistant Fire Chief Lucas Dingmann shows the different variety of firefighting gear in the fire department’s locker room.
Teacher Suzanne Robben’s of Oak Ridge Elementary Learning Center brought her kindergarten students to the Sartell Fire Department recently to enjoy hands-on firefighting techniques. They also learned fire-safety tips. In this photo, the students stood in front of the department’s largest ladder truck. Toward the left is firefighter Rusty Deters; toward the middle is teacher Suzanne Robben.
Kindergarteners take lessons on spraying the fire hose at a “prop house” from Sartell Fire Department members Brian Heim (left) and firefighter Rusty Deters (right).
