National Fire Plan Success Story
Fire Education and Safety Programs
El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico
National Fire Plan - Accountability, Education and Public Interaction
2010
Children used bladder bags to squirt balls off cones along an obstacle course at the Grants Safety Day.
On April 19, 2010, the fire management staff at El Malpais National Monument (including six members of the fire crew a.k.a. the Lava Monsters, the fire management officer (FMO), fire program management assistant (FPMA), and the fuels specialist) participated in a fire education and safety program at Mt. Taylor Elementary in Grants, NM. Four classes of approximately 80 students total and their teachers participated in the event.
The fire staff set up four stations: fire shelter deployment, hoselay and Type 6 engine operations, a bladder bag obstacle course, and wildland fire personal protective equipment (PPE). Each class rotated through the stations. The children enjoyed getting into the practice fire shelters, squirting water from the hoselay out of a Type 6 engine, trying on PPE, and carrying a bladder bag along a course while squirting balls off of traffic cones.
The park’s fuels specialist and FPMA also staffed a fire management station at Grants Safety Day on April 24, 2010. The booth included a Firewise display and a bladder bag obstacle course. Fire prevention materials were distributed as well. This was part of several stations set up for Junior Ranger Day organized by the park’s interpretation staff. Children received a stamp for completing the activity at each station. Once they completed all the stations, they received a Junior Ranger badge and other educational items. Many other community organizations from Grants, NM also participated, including fire departments, police, and the Medivac helicopter.
Contact: Gary Luce, Fire Management Officer, (505) 285-4641 x 35.