Emergency vehicles were lined up at the Ontario Early Years Centre-Nipissing on Chippewa Street for Safety Day. Photos by Dennis Chippa.
There were lights, sirens and a lot of emergency vehicles at the Ontario Early Years Centre on Chippewa Street Friday.
But there was no emergency.
It was the Centre’s 14th annual Safety Day for children and their parents.
Manager Kcristal Spiess says the idea is to have fun for the little ones while they learn important lessons.
“What’s great about having it here at the Early Years Centre is that it’s all interactive so they can learn about safety in an environment that they feel comfortable.”
Besides the emergency vehicles, which included an ambulance, City Police, Fire Department, the Anishinabek Police Service, and the Military Police, there was also a school bus and a large vehicle from North Bay Hydro.
It was the kind of hands on experience children love, as they could spend a rainy morning climbing the fire truck, learning to get on the bus safely, tours of the ambulance or turning on the sirens in the police vehicles.
Inside were at least a dozen displays on topics from sun safety, the War Amps Play Safe program, to the Ministry of Natural Resources Bear Wise Program.
Deputy Mayor Sheldon Forgette was on hand to read a few stories to the little ones.
The day is also a chance for parents to speak about their safety issues.
Val Quirion brought her two children, Alexandre and Audrey and their friend Ella Jerome, for the morning.
“To promote that it’s important to wear a helmet when you’re biking, it’s important to look both ways when you cross the streets, to promote that at school to promote that here to promote it everywhere, that’s why we are here. Not only the little ones should be here but the bigger ones should be here on a PD day.”
Alexandre and Audrey Quirion learn about fire trucks and fire safety with their friend Ella Jerome.
Spiess agrees the safety message is important for both children and parents.
“Especially groups like the War Amps and the safety piece and North Bay Hydro, things that can happen in your own backyard, and how to be safe. And then when they see things they know how to respond to help other friends and kids.”
Despite the rain, more than two hundred took in the fun day, with some important messages as summer approaches.