BELLE — Children at Doodlebugs received a firsthand look at firefighting equipment and learned potentially lifesaving lessons Friday, Oct. 16, when members of the Belle Fire Department visited the daycare for a fire safety presentation.

Belle Fire Chief Dwight Francis, joined by firefighters Erin Francis and Kale Loughridge, demonstrated the protective equipment firefighters wear when entering burning buildings and explained what children should do if they encounter a house fire.

A central part of the presentation involved helping children recognize firefighters dressed in their full protective gear so they would not become frightened or hide from rescuers during an emergency.

“What we want to do today is we want to show you…what we’re going to look like if we have to come in your house to try and find you,” Francis told the children. “We don’t want you to be scared of us.”

Francis gradually put on his protective equipment, explaining the purpose of each piece as the children watched. He demonstrated how firefighters wear specialized boots, pants, coats, protective hoods, gloves, helmets and breathing apparatus to shield themselves from heat, flames and smoke.

The chief explained, and demonstrated, that firefighters often crawl through burning buildings because smoke accumulates near the ceiling and gradually moves toward the floor.

He also described the difficulty of searching unfamiliar buildings when visibility is severely limited.

“I’ve been in a lot of fires where I can’t even see my hand in front of my own face going in,” Francis said.

He explained that firefighters sometimes must navigate by touch, following walls and communicating with other crew members as they search rooms for occupants. Francis emphasized that children who become trapped in a burning building should make as much noise as possible to help firefighters locate them.

“If you ever get trapped in a house fire, I want you to throw the biggest fit you’ve ever thrown in your life,” Francis told the children.

He encouraged them to scream, kick, bang on walls or floors and otherwise make their presence known. Francis explained that the sound of fire trucks, firefighting equipment and the fire itself can make it difficult for rescuers to hear someone calling for help.

“The more noise you make, the quicker we are going to be able to find you,” he said.

The chief also discussed the importance of establishing a designated family meeting place outside the home. He encouraged children to ask their parents to select a location where everyone should gather after escaping a fire.

Francis explained that family members sometimes leave burning homes through different exits. Without a designated meeting place, someone who has already escaped might mistakenly believe another family member remains inside and attempt to reenter the building.

By gathering at one predetermined location, families can more easily determine whether everyone has escaped and provide that information to arriving firefighters.

During the equipment demonstration, Francis showed the children how his breathing mask operates and explained that it connects to an air tank carried on his back. He also demonstrated how the mask changes the sound of his voice, explaining that firefighters can look and sound unfamiliar while wearing protective equipment.

Despite the bulky clothing, mask and breathing apparatus, Francis repeatedly reassured the children that the person underneath the equipment remained the same.

He also talked about other incidents that firefighters respond to; emergencies beyond structure fires, including vehicle crashes and certain medical calls.

“Always remember, we’re there to help somebody,” Francis said. “Somebody needed us, is why they called us.”

The presentation also offered an opportunity to discuss the cost and maintenance of firefighting equipment.

Francis estimated that the protective equipment he demonstrated represented approximately $15,000 in gear for one firefighter.

He said that firefighting equipment must undergo inspections and testing and that its usable life can be affected by age and exposure to fire conditions. Francis also said that the department had received grant funding to purchase 12 new self-contained breathing apparatus units.

“These packs here are getting old, and we just received money to purchase all new ones,” Francis said.

He said that the department was in the process of purchasing the replacement equipment.

During a discussion about emergency responses, Francis explained that Belle firefighters receive dispatch information from communications personnel in Linn. He said the information available to responding firefighters depends heavily on what callers report, which can sometimes differ from the conditions crews encounter when they arrive.

Francis encouraged people reporting possible fires to provide accurate information and, when safe and practical, remain available to help responding firefighters identify where they observed smoke or flames.

The presentation also addressed fire drills at the daycare.

Francis stressed the importance of children following their caregivers’ instructions during emergencies and explained that regular drills help familiarize children with evacuation procedures. He discussed ways daycare personnel could accommodate children who are particularly sensitive to the sounds of fire alarms, including providing hearing protection or additional assistance during drills.

As the presentation concluded, Francis prepared the children for a closer look at a fire truck outside.

He said that Erin (Francis) and Kale (Loughridge) would help the children enter and exit the rear cab, where they could see seats designed to accommodate firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.

The children were reminded to follow the instructions of daycare personnel while participating in the activity.