Helmville students learn about fire fighting during Fire Prevention Week

Helmville school students had the chance to get up close and personal with the Helmville Volunteer fire department's equipment Friday Oct. 12 as part of Fire Prevention month.

Rather than simply going over exit routes, escape plans and smoke detectors the kids this year also got to try on firefighting equipment, learn how to build a survival fire, use fire extinguishers to put out small fires and learn about the department's firefighting trucks, including Moby Dick, their 2500-gallon tactical water tender.

Volunteer firefighter Tommy Applegate said they split the kids up into groups of three and gave them the chance to use fire extinguishers to put out small fires built by him, Bill McCormick and Fire Chief Ty Daniels.

"They were actually able to come out here and put out fire, and know what it's like to pull that pin," he said. The exercise gave them the chance to better understand the types and sizes of fire that extinguishers can put out. "They all got to run through. They all go to feel what that pressure and the power (an extinguisher) does have."

Applegate said the extinguisher used in the demonstration came from area ranchers, who donated their expired extinguishers to the department.

The kids also took turns trying on a turnout jacket and an SCBA mask and tank.

"It was heavy, pretty heavy" said 7th grader Trey Phillips, who also said trying on the "elephant trunk" SCBA mask was one of his favorite parts of the day, as well as learning how to make a survival fire.

The day also gave the fire department a chance to show off their big white tactical tender, dubbed Moby Dick.

Although they've owned it for three years, it's only been in service for about a year, Daniels said.

"Not very many people have seen this thing," he said.

Daniels said the eight-wheel drive tender was originally a surplus fuel truck, part of the Army's ubiquitous Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck system, that they were able to get from the Montana Department of Natural Resources. At the time, it was still set up as fuel truck, complete with a desert tan paint job, and had only 260 miles on it.

After sending it to the Montana State prison for a new paint job, it went to Buck Browning in Drummond, who did all the plumbing for them, Daniels said.

Applegate said the DNRC saw its full capabilities, which includes a front mounted nozzle as well as two large spray bars in the back, on a fire earlier this year. He said they could take the truck just about anywhere and that it's2500 gallon capacity let them keep the tanks on the DNRC trucks refilled.

"It's an awesome addition," he said.

The education and display this year may have also helped them recruit a future firefighter. Phillips said he thinks he may want to volunteer for the fire department one day.

October is National Fire Prevention month, with National Fire Prevention week falling every year on the week of Oct. 9, to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed more than 17,000 structures.

President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed a national fire prevention day in 1920 and Fire Prevention Week began in 1922 and has been observed nationally since 1925, making it the nation's longest running public safety observance.