The Carstens: Firehouse Fieldtrip

One of the things that I've been looking forward to since switching Abby to her new preschool has been her (and me!) going on field trips. Her first field trip was to the Burbank Fire Station. I thought it was a little weird that we were going to Burbank, a 20+ minute drive away, when their are numerous fire stations nearby. One fire station being less than a mile from her preschool. But after the Fire Chief introduced himself he mentioned that the fire station we were at was special because it was a fire training station! Fire fighters from all across our region go here to learn how to fight fires. Cool!

Abby listening to the Fire Chief and Firefighter Emily talk about what they'd be seeing and doing that day. The list of activities included seeing Firefighter Justin rappel down a building, watching a car fire be extinguished, putting our a room fire themselves, checking out a fire ambulance, looking at the tools from a fire rescue truck, seeing how far a fire hose could shoot water, and finally a Stop, Drop, and Roll demonstration.

The classes getting in their lines (there were three classes there from her school this day). I was AMAZED at how well all the kids knew the routine. Ms. Amy and Ms. Jo (her teachers) have had to have been doing some serious line walking prep for this day!

Watching Firefighter Justin rappel down the wall.

The firefighters turned on the engine's siren so Abby promptly covered her ears and kept them covered during the entire demonstration of the car being lit on fire and then put out.

Lighting the car on fire.

And putting the car fire out.

Showing off all the gear that firefighters wear.

I thought this was the best part of the day. Abby got to go up and help put out a "room fire" herself!

Here's a view of the room on fire.

Getting an inside view of the Fire Ambulance (I'm sure it's called something else but I can't remember the official name and mine gets the point across). :-)

Having help going down the super big ambulance steps,

Checking out the machinery in the front of the ambulance.

Checking out how far the fire hose shoots water. Abby kept mentioning the big water rainbow.

A picture of "my" two girls this trip. This little girl is obviously one of Abby's friends in preschool as 1) as soon as she saw Abby upon entering the fire station grounds she yelled "my friend" and raced over to Abby to give her a hug, 2) at almost every station she and Abby were within arms distance from each other, and 3) she came over and asked if Abby's Mommy could hold her - and then when I said I'd sit down with both of the girls - she requested a picture of "me and my friend".