Louis Braille School

To teach our students the importance of fire awareness and safety, the Louis Braille School staff took the students to the Shoreline Fire Safety Center.The students had a wonderful time exploring a real (decommissioned) fire-station while they learned about fire safety.

Our students were able to wear real fire fighting gear, slide down a real fire pole, and explore a real ambulance and fire pump truck. They had a great and educational experience. As a result of visiting the facility, our staff now conducts a weekly fire drill using a smoke alarm donated to the school by the Shoreline Fire Department. It is our goal to teach our students how to respond to the sound of the smoke alarm correctly and safely.

Children with visual impairments must also be taught the importance of fire safety in their homes. There are a variety of adaptations we can create to assist children with visual impairments to survive a fire in their homes.

1. Create a tactile map of your home and designate an outdoor meeting place.
2. Familiarize the child to the sound and shape of the smoke alarm.
3. Conduct fire drills in your home to establish a safety routine.
4. Install door or window decals to inform first responders that there are special needs children on the premises.

Our host, Community Education and Information Specialist Melanie Granfors, taught our students some important fundamentals of home fire safety:

1. To recognize the sound of a smoke detector
2. To crawl low under smoke and get out immediately when a smoke alarm sounds
3. To feel the bedroom door before opening it and if it is hot, use a second way out.
4. Have a place outside where the whole family can meet.
5. Never re-enter a smoky or burning building.

Everyone here at the Louis Braille School would like to send our warmest thanks to Ms. Granfors and the Shoreline Fire Department.

Andre Middleton is a Louis Braille School teacher

On October 11th Louis Braille School students visited the Fairbank “Hands On” Pumpkin and Animal Farm.

At the Farm

Farmer Jerry gave the children an up-close, hands-on tour. Students patted cows and goats and visited snorting pigs, quacking ducks, and cackling geese. They gobbled with the turkeys, checked out the horses, peacocks, and baby pigs, and examined varieties of dried gourds. Each child selected a pumpkin to take home from the pumpkin patch.

Boys Petting Cows

The farm, located at 15308 52nd Avenue West, Edmonds, Washington, is open Monday - Friday for educational tours by appointment. The public is welcome for Saturday activities. Call 425-743-3694 for information.

Boy At Pumpkin Farm

Boy With Pumpkin