Onekama Elementary students get up close view of safety vehicles
Posted by Ken
Grabowski, Manistee News Advocate
Onekama School, May 25, 2012
Children are very observant in their surroundings and they often see police, fire, rescue and big trucks passing through the area, but the one thing don’t normally get to do is to look at them up close.
Elementary students at Onekama Consolidated Schools were given the opportunity during Safety/Vehicle Day to get an up close and personal look at some of those vehicles and to get an explanation of how they work. What was very educational for the students is it allowed them to hear directly from the people who perform these services and drive these vehicles.
“We brought in people from the community that provide safety, fire, rescue and other services to the children and their families,” said former Onekama Schools teacher Pam Lyman, who organized the event.
Lyman said they have done presentations like this in the past, but it has been a few years. She approached superintendent Kevin Hughes about doing some volunteer work at the school and he was all for the idea of bringing in the vehicles.
“We talked about the big truck day and he said to go for it, so we organized one because it is a good learning experience,” said Lyman. “They see fire trucks on the road, but to get up close is what they really like.”
All of the presenters did a great job in allowing them to see the vehicles and touch some of the equipment. Some of the “equipment” was living and breathing, like Manistee County Sheriff’s Department dog “Benco” who was brought in by Deputy Jason Torrey. Children had the opportunity to do something with Benco that they normally don’t get to do.
