Camp Safe Kids a big success

Published 4:41 pm Tuesday, June 18, 2013

The sixth annual Camp Safe Kids was held at the COA Monday. Members of the Penn Township Fire Department were on hand to show campers how to operate a fire hose. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

The sixth annual Camp Safe Kids was held at the COA Monday. Members of the Penn Township Fire Department were on hand to show campers how to operate a fire hose. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

The sixth annual Camp Safe Kids at the Cass County Council on Aging drew 30 kids Monday.

The campers learned about fire safety, bike safety and boating safety amongst other things with the help of the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, the Dowagiac Public Safety Department and the Penn Township Fire Department.

Campers learned about police dogs as Dowagiac K-9 officer David Davis and Cessy were on hand, along with Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Gondeck and GiGi.

The Penn Township Fire Department showed the campers how their safety equipment worked, let them try it on and learned how to use a fire hose. Campers were also allowed to use the siren on the truck.

The Cass County Firemen’s Association had their fire safety house there to teach campers how to escape if their home catches fire.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Department also discussed bike safety with the campers and each one took home a free helmet. They also received a free t-shirt and were provided lunch at the COA’s Lowe Center.

Campers, ages 9 to 11, also learned about first aid, internet safety and abduction prevention.

The day concluded with a hot line demonstration by Midwest Energy.

“They learned a lot,” Patty Patano of the COA said. “It was amazing to ask them questions and hear how much information they actually took in.”