June 17: We began the day by getting the kids suited up in their gear in preparation for the fun firefighter activities they would be participating in.

The Cadet group got to go off-site to Limerick Community Park to experience and participate in search and rescue demonstrations with the Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue team at the back of the park. While there, they learned how to perform a large area search for clues to find a missing person, patient packaging, scene safety, radio communication, and more about search and rescue!

Back at the Limerick Fire Station, the rest of the kids rotated through five exciting stations:

At the Ladder Station, the kids learned how to carry and deploy ground ladders as a team.

At the Tower Bucket Station, the kids experimented with using a carabiner, learned about bucket operations and bucket safety, and took turns riding in the bucket with Firefighter Tyler Miles!

Perkiomen Fire Company Tanker 66 visited to demonstrate water flow at a fill site when an area lacks hydrants and needs to use tankers to deliver water to a fire scene. At this Tanker Station, the kids got to open the water valve and tour the tanker.

At the Hose Station, the kids learned about different kinds of hoses, checked out the pump system on the Squad, and, the best part, got to use the hoses!

At the Hydrant Station, Firefighter Scott Miles talked about how to open a hydrant, the kind of valves firefighters use on a hydrant, and attaching a five-inch hose. The kids even practiced opening a hydrant themselves.

Inside the bays at the Fire Police Station, the kids learn about what fire police do, such as directing traffic, closing roads, and using flashlights and signs. The kids were split into two groups and competed against each other in a race through traffic cones while being directed away from a "road closed" sign and competing to put up signs.

It was officially voted that the favorite stations of the day were Fire Police and riding in the Tower bucket!