John Oxford
MOULTRIE — Firefighters spend several hours each year in classrooms and in training to be prepared in case of virtually any kind of emergency. Four members of the Moultrie Fire Department also spent a week last year learning a new skill: how to be a clown.
Moultrie Fire Department Capt. Lavon Cooper said the fire department is trying to establish a clown program to teach fire safety to younger children. Four firefighters spent a week at the Georgia Firefighter Clown Society in Forsyth to become clowns.
The program was made available through a grant from the Georgia Division of Public Health, Cooper said.
Moultrie firefighters Brian Blair, who performs as Tailboard, and Dennie Metcalf, who performs as Rerun, said they were called about the training program and offered to go. They spent a week of “intense training” to become two of the four Moultrie Fire Department clowns.
Cooper said the Moultrie firefighters trained with other clowns from fire stations throughout Georgia and brought the program to Moultrie. The first time the clowns performed was as part of Fire Prevention Week in November, and Cooper said they have did a good job of teaching the younger kids about fire safety.
“They’ve done a darn good job this year,” Cooper said. “I’m extremely proud of them, and I’ve had many compliments about them.”
Blair said the clowns have so far performed only in Colquitt County schools during Fire Prevention Week. Their programs consists of both funny skits and fire education, about such topics as Exit Drills In The Home (EDITH), seat belt safety, using 911, Stop Drop and Roll, and match and lighter safety. The main goal is to keep the children’s attention while teaching fire safety.
“We save lives before the fire, not at the fire,” Blair said. “If we can save one life, it will be worth it.”
Metcalf said the program is not too difficult to perform and is very rewarding both to himself and to the children they teach. Knowing he can help make a difference in a child’s life while still allowing them to be a kid is what is most rewarding to him.
“We act too grown up most of the time,” Metcalf said. “We need to make kids happy and get them where they won’t take things too seriously when they grow up.”
The firefighters had to learn how to act like kids again at the training, and Metcalf said he learned other personal lessons, especially how to treat other people. The clowns have done a good job, too, as they have received positive feedback from teachers where they have performed.
