Local children are surprised by prize packages from the Office of the Fire Marshal and the New Brunswick Association of Fire Prevention Officers.

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By Lauren Kennedy

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When nine-year-old Sarah Williamson decided to fill out a form from a Fire Safety Gazette she received from local firefighters during a fire safety presentation at her school, she never thought she would be randomly selected for a prize package.

"She didn't wait for her class to fill them out together, she did this herself and did it all on her own. We ran it over to the post office together as a family and she has no idea that she won," said her mother, Emily Williamson directly before Sarah was surprised in her classroom.

As Hartland Fire Chief Mike Walton, Woodstock Chief Ricky Nicholson, who is president of the Central Valley Fire Fighters Association, and Dallas Boudreau, from the Office of the Fire Marshal, walked into the Grade 4 classroom, they were met by stares of curiosity and intrigue from the students. Little did they know that one of their own, Sarah Williamson, was who brought them there.

A few weeks ago, fire department members went around to local elementary schools and educated students about fire safety and fire prevention. At the end of their presentation, the students were given a little book called the Fire Safety Gazette which offered tips and tricks on how to prevent fires and what to do in case of an emergency. At the back of the book there was a form that they could fill out

Three names from the nine regional fire associations were drawn and the student who won would be presented a prize package from the Office of the Fire Marshal and the New Brunswick Association of Fire Prevention Officers.

When Sarah found out she won, she was all smiles. By filling out the form, she not only won a prize package, but she won a pizza party for her class and she credited it all to herself.

"It's all because of me!, " she proudly said to her class.

Tia Manuel, five-years-old from Florenceville Elementary School and six-year-old Shaelynne McIntosh were also winners of the prize pack which contained a talking Sparky the Fire Dog toy, a smoke detector, fire extinguisher, a Frisbee, stickers and many other fun things.

From the 27 names drawn, one lucky New Brunswick elementary school student will become Fire Chief for a Day, sponsored by the New Brunswick Association of Fire Chiefs. The draw for that prize will be held at a future date.

Ricky Nicholson, president of the Central Valley Fire Fighters Association, and the Fire Chief of the Woodstock Fire Department says the reason they go around to schools is simple.

"We like to go around the schools and educate safety to the students and then they can take what they've learned home to their parents," he said. "We always get a good response form this and each year we look forward to the teachers working with the students on fire safety."

The fire chief welcomes the interest staff and students show in the firefighters' visits, adding they get plenty of questions from the students. One questions is by far the most common, though.

"They always want to know where the fire truck is," laughs Nicholson. "'Where's the fire truck?' is what I always hear."