Thorsby students talk about safety each year.

But an important part of the lesson is the opportunity to meet public service figures and learn about their jobs, like students did May 9 at the school’s annual Safety Day.

The Chilton County Sheriff’s Department, Thorsby Fire Department, Thorsby Police Department and Alabama State Troopers were among the agencies represented at the event, which was attended by students in kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade and fifth grade.

Second and third graders weren’t able to attend because of inclement weather during the event, which was held at Richard Wood Park adjacent to the school, but event organizer Angie Barnett said a make-up day would be held for the students who missed out.

Safety Day coincides with the school’s SKIP program, which focuses on sexual abuse prevention and child abduction prevention.

Barnett said SKIP features age-appropriate lessons for all elementary students and cited research that such lessons take about three years to sink in.

“By the time they get up to the fifth grade, they know all the lures,” she said.

Part of the focus of Safety Day is acquainting students with public safety officials, so that they will know the difference between real ones and someone who might be posing as a police officer, for example, in an effort to abduct a child–a scenario known as an “authority lure.”

“We want them to know what a real police officer looks like,” Barnett said. “They think if they see a blue light and a badge, they’re official; but that’s not always the case.”