Our First Homeschool Field Trip!
So this idea came about by my playgroup partner-in-crime, when she found out that a friend recently held their kid's birthday party at the Balai Bomba TTDI (TTDI Fire Station). Turns out you didn't have to pay any fee to organise a visit and all you had to do was write in to them! Easy peasy. Well my partner did all the legwork, so kudos to her for doing the write-in and contacting. May Allah bless her efforts. Ameen! We did however, agree to organise a small donation from each parent for them as a token of appreciation for their time and hospitality. The firemen were very warm (pun intended) and welcoming especially to the children.
So here's how our day started. The moms and kids gathered at the fire station around 10 AM. There were about 30 kids in total along with the mothers and helpers. Our kids ranged from babies to ages 10 or 11. Alhamdulillah it was manageable and there were plenty of parking spaces available within the compound. Overall environment was clean and spacious, so the wide open space made us feel at ease. And you know how it is, children + open spaces means plenty of room to move around (and subsequently, mothers chasing after them). So always keep an eye out for the little ones!
Introduction + How to contact a Fire Department
The session started with an introduction by the chief fireman, who gave us an insight as to how fire stations operate, how many there are in the Klang Valley etc. He reminded us that the 994 fire emergency number is no longer relevant and that the emergency number for all types of emergency (whether you need the fire dept, police, ambulance etc) are to be reached with 999. You will be connected to a call centre who will direct you to the help you need. However, he recommended that it would be even better if you familiarise yourself with your neighbourhood/town fire dept number so that you may call them directly. This will save time and help them in responding quicker. So look up your nearest fire station now and save that number in your phone!
Reporting a fire or suspicious smoke
If ever you are driving by some place and see a suspicious smoke or fire happening then report it, be sure to stick around that area until the firemen arrive. Your information is vital for them to locate the exact fire. An incident has happened before where someone had reported a suspected fire while driving by but by the time the firemen were there, they couldn't locate the fire reported and the reporter was already long gone from the scene. Do not waste their time and be responsible if you are reporting a suspected fire.
Stop, Drop & Roll!
What do you do if your clothes catch on fire? Stop, Drop & Roll! The kids had fun acting this out.
Working a Fire Extinguisher
Let's be honest, the majority of us don't really know how to work a fire extinguisher. A simple way to remember is by remembering the PASS rule: Pull (the pin to break the tamper seal), Aim (at the fire source), Squeeze (the handle to release the extinguishing agent), and Sweep (the hose from side to side at the base of the fire until it is out) Watch the area. If it re-ignites, repeat steps 2-4.
You should be at a distance of at least 3 feet from the source of fire if you are attempting to do this.
This is for small fires or for fires that have just broke out such as a kitchen stove fire.
There are many sizes of a fire extinguisher and you should have at least one in your home.
If you don't already have one, you can easily get it online here! Click the link below:
SIRIM Certified SRI 1KG ABC Dry Powder Type Fire Extinguisher
If you don't already have one, you can easily get it online here! Click the link below:
SIRIM Certified SRI 1KG ABC Dry Powder Type Fire Extinguisher
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Do's and Dont's
- DO GET OUT of the house as fast as possible!
- DON'T go into the toilet/bathroom. This is an even more dangerous place to be in within a house with a fire because the water will boil and make the bathroom even hotter.
- DON'T throw a pail of water at the fire source.
- DO use a wet towel and throw on to the fire source if you want to attempt putting it out this way.
If you have the slightest doubt that you cannot put out the fire, evacuate immediately.
Uniforms and Suits
There are several uniforms for a fireman I think the chief mentioned there were 6 or 7 different types for different purposes, (i.e. natural disaster, fire resisting suits etc). This was the fun part where all the kids could try on real fire jackets and helmets! Apparently, a full suit weighs about 8 kilos. So imagine running through a fire with all that bulky weight on you and not to mention you gotta carry the heavy equipments and masks etc. It takes a lot of stamina to be a firefighter. Much respect! Not only do you need to be in good shape but you need to have a good eyesight. The chief says that many young people are failing the examinations due to poor eyesight as we are too exposed to screens and gadgets nowadays.
Riding the Firetruck! HIGHLIGHT of the whole trip (for me)
This was so exciting for all of us albeit some of the kids including Khadeejah were terrified of the loud sirens. They took us around the compound twice for a little joy ride. The inside was spacious and comfortable (AC on full blast) and from the inside the sirens were not that loud.
Watch a clip of the firetruck ride here!
Watch a clip of the firetruck ride here!
Last Activity : Hose It Down!
A wonderful sight to end our trip. To see the children playing under the water just having a total blast and having pure fun is totally priceless! Some of the moms were joining in too! Unfortunately Khadeejah wasn't too keen on joining the fun. She even had a little yellow raincoat on! Oh well. She did marvel at the huge fire trucks the whole time!
For more info on fire safety and the fire stations in Malaysia visit http://www.bomba.gov.my/
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