Georgia Firefighters Turn to Teaching

As long as anyone can remember, firefighters have been role models for kids all over the world. In McDonough (Henry County), Georgia, five firefighters from Station 13 have gone from hero to teacher for a special group of reading-challenged second graders.

In a little over two years, a reading program that began as a way to get the public safety personnel out into the community has become a life-changing experience for the children who have benefited by the extra help.

Two years ago, Henry County's 13 fire stations were told they had to find ways to get out and show people how important they were to their public safety, says Lt. Vince Harris, FF/EMT-P.

"My area is very rural, meaning it's mostly residential, with some churches and a school. With the school right next door being our biggest target hazard and having the most people at any time, it became an obvious choice for a special project. When we came up with a reading mentoring program, the principal and teachers were thrilled and couldn't believe we wanted to work with them."

Out of five second grade classrooms, two are Early Intervention Program-style classes, where students are performing just barely at or below grade level in reading. Any day school is in session and the C-shift crew is on duty, Lt. Harris, Firefighter/Paramedic Barry Garmon, Firefighter/EMT-I Clint Schell, Firefighter EMT-I Matt Henry and Firefighter/EMT-I Greg Malcom can be found at Timber Ridge Elementary School working with struggling second-grade readers.

"In addition to helping them with reading, we wanted to come up with a reward to encourage them, and that's when we decided on giving them a ride to school," says Harris. "Once a month, the teachers pick a winner from each class, and we pick them up in the fire truck and take them to school. As we pull into the school, we turn on the lights and siren to let everyone know they've arrived and it's their special day."

Their work and dedication have definitely made a difference, says Harris.

"Only a couple of the kids have had to repeat, and we hear nothing but positive comments from their families about how well they're doing. One of the biggest things the teachers have noticed is the positive role models we provide in the kids' lives. Many come from broken homes or the father works long hours or away from home, and five men who have a big presence in the community give them someone to look up to."

Harris gives one example of a true success story.

"A family up the street has twin girls, and one of them was in the Early Intervention Program," he explains. "Her twin was considered the "smart one" and was very outgoing and popular, but she had low self-esteem and wouldn't talk to anyone. Once she started reading with us, she really came out of her shell, and now she's the dominant twin."

The second graders at Timber Ridge aren't the only ones who have benefited from Crew 13's presence. A few months ago, the firefighters taught CPR to six 5th grade classes, ending just hours before the community was threatened by a tornado. The next day, the firefighters received letters from every 5th grader saying they kept their families calm and never felt afraid because Lt. Vince had taught them exactly what to do if someone needed first aid or CPR.

The firefighters attend fall festivals and other special events in their community, where one of the favorite activities is the fire extinguisher game, which teaches kids how to use a fire extinguisher.

"We don't promote them using it for fun," says Lt. Harris, "but it's not scary for them if they have to use it. It's fun, but it's also a learning experience, and the kids love it."

Adults in McDonough get special attention from Firehouse 13 as well.

"We have a half-dozen churches in our territory, so we schedule Sunday morning vital sign clinics for each of them," says Harris. "Between services, or after their main service, we check blood pressures, glucose readings and heart rates, and answer their questions, then we do a pre-fire plan walkthrough of the building so we know what it looks like on the inside and where the hazards are."

As for the future, the reading program at Timber Ridge Elementary is going into its third year, and the idea is catching on in other fire departments in the county. Perhaps the highest praise for Lt. Harris and his coworkers comes from Sheila Malone, Timber Ridge's school counselor, who says, "Lt. Vince, with his vision of reaching out to our youth, has created a bigger impact within one school year than most educators make in a lifetime. Lt. Harris is humble to a fault and always gives credit for this program to his crew. They truly are heroes. They give our kids the strength to face a life-or-death crisis and will always be remembered for their commitment to our leaders of tomorrow."

For more on the program, visit the Henry County Fire Department's website.