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Not scary: Shawn Moore takes off his mask to talk to students. (JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)

Historic: A vintage ambulance was on display during a visit from firefighters to the Verbena Annex. (JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)

Water: Verbena firefighters demonstrate how the truck shoots water. (JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)

Verbena Fire and Rescue volunteers Jeffery Franks and Shawn Moore stand with Verbena Pre-K students. (JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)

Vintage: A Verbena First Class Pre-K student stands in a vintage ambulance. (JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)

Students stand by a Verbena Fire and Rescue truck. (JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)

By JOYANNA LOVE/ADVERTISER

Verbena First Class Pre-K students had a helping hand in learning about community helpers on Sept. 13, thanks to Verbena Fire and Rescue.

The firefighters and rescue volunteers showed students the different trucks and equipment that the department uses.

“He wears this special gear, so he can go into a house where it is really, really hot and not get burned,” rescue volunteer Amanda Moore said. “He’s just a regular person underneath there.”

Pre-K teacher Lindsey Parrish said students had been learning about different community helpers throughout the week.

“They have been asking about firefighters and … what happens, so we learned that they have to wear their turnout gear, so the smoke doesn’t get them,” Parrish said.

She said she also talked about how “the firefighter is there to help them, not hurt them.”

Calming fears was a main goal of the presentation.

“We want to be able to teach the kids that when we do show up on scene that there is nothing to be scared of,” Moore said. “Usually, we are there because something horrible is going on … so they get scared.”

Moore has been with the department “off and on for about 13 years.”

“My husband (Shawn) is the fire side of it,” Moore said. “I’m the medical side of it.”

She said she got involved after her neighbor Kenny Dale, who has been with the department since it started, invited her to join after he heard she was studying to be a registered nurse.

“I think it so good to take these pre-K children and let them get an education on firemen and understand that EMS and Fire are here to help them,” Joe Acker Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services System retired firefighter, said.

The firefighters also demonstrated how the truck shoots water onto the fire. When the grass truck turned the spray on low in a soft arc, several students took the opportunity to cool off. Fortunately, the students had a change of clothes back at the classroom.

Students have also learned about doctors and nurses during the community helpers study.

“They are only 4, so they are curious about everything,” Parrish said.

During the study, students also had the opportunity to dress up as a community helper.

This is the first year for a preschool class at Verbena, and Parrish said it is going well.

“They are learning,” Parrish said. “They enjoy it.”

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