BELLE — Maries County R-2 summer school students on June 13 were treated with a First Responders Day at Bland Park from the surrounding three counties, organized by School Resource Officer …
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BELLE — Maries County R-2 summer school students on June 13 were treated with a First Responders Day at Bland Park from the surrounding three counties, organized by School Resource Officer Tanner Hinson.
“The day was primarily about safety and making students more comfortable with First Responders,” Hinson said. “We are in a corner of the county with a lot of overlap.”
Hinson invited entities from Maries, Osage and Gasconade counties to attend the event. Each entity brought something for the kids to see.
Osage County Sheriff provided a search and rescue boat and demonstrated how they would save someone. Osage Ambulance District brought two units for the students to explore.
Gasconade County provided a K-9 Xena.
Maries County provided a SWAT Humvee it recently acquired for free from State Surplus, and K9 Snitch with his handler Officer Tiffaney Johnson, and two patrol units.
The city of Bland’s officer Luke Bigalow brought his patrol unit, along with Bland Fire Chief Mark Davis providing the city’s newest fire engine.
Belle Marshal Jerry Coborn was present to assist.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Rolicia Tyler provided a seatbelt safety roll vehicle to demonstrate what happens when seatbelts are worn versus when they are not.
“It was more of a safety day than anything to let the kids see what law enforcement and first responders are all about,” Hinson said. “To get kids comfortable with deputies, officers, firefighters, and EMS crews. That way they are comfortable coming up to them on the streets or in emergency situations. It was a fun day to see all the stuff that first responders have available to them.”
The event’s finale was a bite demonstration that involved K9 officers and their handlers to demonstrate how they stop law breakers.
“It gets (students) out of the classroom, exercise and gives teachers a bit of a break,” Hinson said. “The K9s at work is always a cool thing as well.”
The event was completed by 10:30 a.m. and students returned to school before the day became too hot.
“I appreciate everybody — all the counties and agencies for taking the time to come,” Hinson said.
