“What number do we call in an emergency?” asked teaching assistant Kacey McKenzie.
“We call 911!” responded student Carter Ravetti. In addition to her role at Dutchess BOCES, McKenzie is a volunteer firefighter with the Roosevelt Fire District. During national fire prevention week, McKenzie spoke to students from classrooms 127 and 128 about fire safety.
After talking about smoke detectors, what to do in case of a fire, and some other topics, McKenzie put on her gear to show students. She explained that the gear adds about 80 pounds. Students were shocked to find out that she must get all of her gear on in just a minute and thirty seconds. 
Ravetti, smiling from ear to ear, shared that his favorite part of the experience was trying on McKenzie’s helmet.
After the presentation, students worked on coloring informational pages about fire safety.
“I wanted the kids to have this experience because I thought they would enjoy it and it would help them not get scared when they see a firefighter. Now they know what we look like and that we’re here to help,” McKenzie shared.