Experiencing Fire Fighting

Residents of Walvis Bay are used to the sirens of fire trucks, as they speed through the streets to put out another fire.Young pupils and toddlers around the town are mostly fascinated by the sirens, red trucks and cool gear worn by firefighters.

“It is a brave and exciting profession to the children, but there is more to it than just the looks. Children need to be told why services like firefighting, policing and other safety professions are there, so that they can know how to act when they are caught in a situation,” says a tutor at the town, Elizabeth Andreas, who takes care of pre-primary school children aged four to six.

Andreas and her colleagues decided to take some pre-school and primary school children on a trip to the fire station. The children learnt about the dangers of fires and what to do in case of a fire. They were also informed that residents usually flood the streets and make it difficult for fire trucks to pass when trying to get to a location. Most of the time, drivers are forced to stop because excited children are running into the road to the fire.

“We learnt that we must stay with our parents and not run into the road to the fire alone, because we can get hurt,” said five-year-old Ananias Namupembe.

“I was afraid of the fireman, but now I am not afraid any more because they are so nice and they want to help us. I will go and tell all my friends,” added Lina Shindinge.

The youngsters were taken on a tour around the fire station block with the fire truck, and also learnt about the procedures taken by firemen during response time.

“This should not only be limited to fire stations. I think parents and schools should try to get in touch with all services like police, safety instructors, lifeguards and so on, to teach children what to do in different situations. It could help a lot,” said tutor Agnes Haiduwa.

Asked what they are important information they are taking home to their friends and family, all the children shouted: “Dial 081 922 when there is a fire!”

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.

The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.