Dozens Of Kids Have A Fun Time Learning About Fire Safety During 11th Annual Junior Fire Academy

HOUSTON, Miss. (WCBI)- This week, dozens of kiddos are putting on the gear and experiencing what it’s like to be a firefighter.

The kids are learning how to handle a water hose and how to escape out the window of a burning building.

It’s all a part of the Houston Fire Department’s 11th Annual Fire Academy.

Along with the hands on exercises, firemen are teaching kids about fire safety and the importance of having an escape plan in case of a fire.

The fire department also gives each child safety tips to practice at home with their friends and family.

“I think most of time the kids favorite part is when we actually get to the final day of class, graduation, and they get to handle hoses and spray water and go through trailers filled with non-toxic smoke, and they get to pretend that they are an actual firefighter,” said Jason Womack, a fireman with the Houston Fire Department who also has a child in the Junior Fire Academy.

“We want them to have fun, we want them to be relaxed, but we also want them to learn something too,” said Houston Fire Chief Jonathan Blankenship. “We want them to be able to go home and talk to their family all about fire safety. We’ve had it every year, some parents or grownups will come back by and tell us that you’ll never believe it, but my child who went through yall’s academy taught me something about fire safety, so that’s what we want.”

HFD has 29 kids participating this year.

The four day event wraps up on Friday when the kiddos will graduate from the Junior Fire Academy.