Fire drill for fun
BY KEITH EDWARDS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 08/24/2008

READFIELD -- Sam, Max, and Leora Kaufman, 10, 8, and 6, respectively, followed Fayette firefighter Matt Picard as he led them, crawling on their hands and knees, out of a smoke filled "living room."

They made it out of the simulated room -- actually a trailer built especially to train youngsters how to escape a smoke-filled room -- smoothly.

So smoothly Max didn't even spill any of the bag of popcorn he was carrying.

"This is awesome, it made such an impression on the children," said Elaine Hanish, of Readfield, whom the Kaufman family, of New York, was visiting Saturday.

The Kaufman kids, who later also tried their hand at running a fire hose, were three of only a few members of the public who came to learn about firefighting and fire safety at the Lakes Region Mutual Aid Company's first public awareness day.

Roger Scott, a Mount Vernon firefighter and an organizer of the event, said the day was meant to show the public what firefighters and other rescue workers in the mutual aid company's six towns do when they respond to fire and rescue calls.

One goal of the day, Scott said, was to help recruit new firefighters to join the volunteer ranks.

Saturday's relatively low turnout by the public seemed to reflect a trend of a relative lack of new firefighters joining volunteer fire departments.

"We don't seem to get a lot of new folks joining; most have been at it for a long time," Scott said. "It is a big time commitment. But, personally, I get a lot back out of it, too. It's a good feeling, to give something back to the community once in awhile."

The Lakes Region Mutual Aid Company includes Fayette, Manchester, Mount Vernon, Readfield, Vienna and Wayne. Firefighters in each of those towns automatically respond to a structure fire in any of the member communities.

Demonstrations and activities Saturday included recreational vehicle safety, automobile extrication, tours of the inside of an ambulance, and displays of numerous pieces of firefighting equipment.

The trailer used to simulate escaping a smoke-filled room was provided by the Chesterville Fire Department.

Picard explained, to the children he led through the trailer, not to be afraid of him or other firefighters, even though, with all their gear on, they may look and sound a little scary.

"We're going to have an air pack on our back, and an air mask on our face, so we'll sound like Darth Vader, it can be kind of scary," Picard said. "Don't be scared."

A popular piece of firefighting equipment with children and adults alike at the event at Maranacook Community Middle School was Manchester's Kubota all-terrain vehicle, which rides on four tracks that allow the vehicle to easily travel through the woods where other, more conventional vehicles can't go.

Firefighters outfitted the unit themselves, making their own 65-gallon water tank and hose reel, which fit right on the back. The vehicle and its equipment cost about $17,000 total.

The vehicle, Manchester Capt. Dave Worthing said, has proven its worth many times, especially at brush fires in the region, and anytime they need to rescue an ATV rider or someone else who has an accident away from a main road.

It was a key vehicle in accessing the recent jet crash in West Gardiner. Worthing said the Kubota and a trailer it towed carried as many as 13 firefighters into the thickly-wooded jet crash scene in one trip.

Seven-year-old Samantha Mank, of Readfield, seemed to like running a hose best, as Wayne firefighter Bill Coolidge helped her hold onto and direct a fire hose off into the trees. Asked if she'd like to be a firefighter someday, she smiled broadly, nodded yes, and promptly returned her attention to the jet of water coming from the hose. "I'm getting wet," Samantha said while she and Coolidge manned the hose. "It feels good -- I'm hot."

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com

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