5-year-old visitor melts Marudi firefighters’ hearts

Firefighter Stephen Saga Gurang helping Gracia (with pacifier) and other children to hold a hose.

By Nancy Nais

MARUDI, March 21: A five-year-old girl recently became the ‘top model’ of Marudi fire station when a group of children came by for an educational trip.

The sight of Gracia Rinnin Alpha with pacifier in mouth throughout the visit endeared the young visitor to all the firefighters at the station.

Accompanied by two of their teachers, the 25 pre-school children from SJK Sungai Jaong learned techniques to put out fires in a fun, easy-to-remember way including the ‘stop, drop and roll’ technique.

Maureen (back row, centre) with her fire station team and children from SJK Sungai Jaong.
Gracia (in front) and her friends giving their salute for Marudi firefighters.

Marudi fire station chief Maureen Sim said the visit was a good opportunity to create awareness about fire prevention and impart valuable safety lessons to children from young.

“During the three-hour event, firefighters took the opportunity to teach the children what they should and shouldn’t do in case of a blaze, how to prevent fire and that fire is not a toy.

“We also introduced simple and fun modules on ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fire, (advice) not to burn anything indoors, stop-drop-roll, ‘get out and stay out’. They also experienced a fire engine ride and experienced handling a fire hose,” Maureen told DayakDaily.

Gracia (right) and her friends in firefighting uniform with firefighter Jamal Mohd Yussof.
Gracia in mini firefighter uniform at the Marudi fire station.

The highlight for the young visitors was when they got to don mini firefighter uniforms, handle the fire hose and ‘imagine’ that they were putting out a fire.

Maureen added that the children had so much fun being at the station with the firefighters and left with good memories. — DayakDaily