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Advice For A Hot Topic

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By PAUL CATALA, Tribune correspondent

Published: October 13, 2007

NEW TAMPA - Some kept the plain wood intact, while other children elaborately decorated, colored or painted.

During what at times resembled Santa's workshop, children and adults got together Oct. 6 at The Home Depot to make firetruck models.

Since 1999, the home improvement retailer has sponsored a kickoff event for National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 7 through 13, by donating wooden toy firetruck kits to children. During the day, between 250 and 300 children put together firetruck models and got a chance to meet and talk with professional firefighters and other emergency response personnel.

The day also featured emergency response vehicles and informational booths relating to fire prevention and safety.

On hand outside to talk to children and parents and give a hand with the models were members of the American Red Cross, the Tampa Police Department, the Florida Highway Patrol and the Tampa General Hospital Burn Unit. Inside, informational booths were set up by agencies including the Community Emergency Response Team and the Tampa Crime Prevention Unit.

Together, said Tampa Fire Rescue Lt. Wes Adwell, the agencies hoped to get children and their families more aware of what it takes to keep their homes and property safe from accidental fires. Along with Tampa Fire Rescue District Chief Joe Provenzano and Home Depot manager Jim Burgett, Adwell helped make children more aware of what firefighters and emergency medical technicians do and that they are around to help.

'We hope they get fascinated with the actual and model trucks and the equipment and get to talk to some of us on-one-one,' said Adwell, who works out of the fire rescue station off Cross Creek Boulevard. 'This is good for the children, the parents and us.'

In 2006, fire departments in the United States responded to an estimated 1,642,500 fires, and there were 3,245 civilian fire fatalities, according to the National Fire Protection Association Web site

Through safety programs and events such as the one at The Home Depot, Provenzano said, firefighters and emergency medical personnel become less intimidating.

That was the sentiment shared by Tom Kuhn of New Tampa, who visited with his daughter, Kristen, 7, and son, Kyle, 5. 'It's great to get them to see all the fire rescue equipment and firefighters,' he said after helping his daughter finish her model truck. 'I hope she learns to respect all these people that help us.'

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