On Sunday, April 28, 2019, Anne Arundel County Professional Fire Fighters and Best Buddies Maryland hosted a “Fire Fighter for a Day” event for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the Anne Arundel County Fire Department Training Academy.
The 3rd Annual Fire Fighter for a Day event emphasized the importance of Fire Safety, while also preparing and empowering these students with the skills and knowledge to know what to do to stay safe and manage an emergency.
Fifteen Professional Fire Fighters from Local 1563, in partnership with Anne Arundel County Fire Department, and ten Best Buddies participants from Anne Arundel County area schools experienced what it is like to be a Fire Fighter in a safe and fun learning environment.
Best Buddies participants were paired with a professional firefighter in a 1:1 ratio and engaged in five firefighting activities. Activities included dressing in protective gear, spraying water at a prop from a booster hose line, riding in a fire engine around the academy grounds, talking on a fire radio, and participating in rescue of a lightweight prop from a non-dangerous staged scenario.
Throughout the course of the day, Best Buddies participants developed stronger relationships with their local Anne Arundel County Professional Fire Fighters and left with specific instructions on how to stay safe and manage an emergency.
