Get the right tools in your ‘tool box’
By Bob Robinson

GREENVILLE – “Okay. Put it in your tool box.” Allen Keaser made a motion putting the lesson into his tool box (head). The kids did the same.

Keaser and his wife, Nancy, plus Rage and Rocco, were in ‘Module 5’ with second graders at Woodland Heights Elementary School Oct. 14. They showed a video of what kids need to learn about common kitchen items that represent a potential danger.

“You are popping popcorn in the microwave,” he said. “When it’s done popping, what do you do?” Several students raised their hands; some got up to ‘get the popcorn.’ Then a student said they shouldn’t get the popcorn bag because it’s hot.

“That’s right! Good! He watched the video. You let an adult do it. Be sure to put that in your tool box!”

He tapped his head.

Keaser went through several other ‘do’s and don’ts.’ The coffee pot, the toaster oven, the stove… There were mockups of each item so Keaser could demonstrate to the students.

“How do you know a coffee pot might be hot?” You can see coffee in it.

“How do you know a toaster oven is hot?” You can see the orange glow in the glass window.

The window of a microwave isn’t hot because they built it to keep cool. The window of a toaster oven isn’t like that. It’s hot.

“Put that in your tool box.” The kids put the lessons in their tool boxes.

Keaser asked the kids what they like to do when they first see mom or dad with a coffee pot in their hands or at the stove fixing breakfast… “Hugs!”

“No,” he said. A hug might not be a good thing when they’re holding a hot coffee pot. And a surprise hug when they are at the stove could cause an accident. Just say ‘good morning.’

Keaser demonstrated what might happen if a parent is surprised at the stove. A ‘hot’ frying pan gets knocked on the floor. He picked it up and put it back on the stove… the handle was sticking out.

“Should the handle be sticking out like that?” “No!” “Who wants to put the handle where it is supposed to be?” Hands popped up. A couple students stood up, ready to demonstrate… “No,” Keaser said. An adult needs to do it.

“When you know something is hot, what do you do?” “Stay away.” “How far?” Three feet. Three giant steps. Perfect!

Keaser had one more lesson for the seven and eight-year-olds

“A smoke alarm goes off, what do you do?” “Leave the house!”

“Smoke alarm doesn’t go off but you see smoke?” “Get low and get out of the house.”

He told them to put all these lessons in their tool boxes.

“Get them out every once in a while and shine them up,” he said. He added moms and dads, and firefighters and teachers keep giving them tools. “When you have the right tools in your tool box you’ll be able to start doing some of the things that adults do.”

Later during lunch recess, Keaser, Greenville Twp firefighter Troy Weber and a bright red fire truck were next to the Woodland exit gate. Kids were lining up to see the truck.

“The kindergarten kids got to see the inside of a fire truck last week,” he said. “Today it’s the first graders’ turn.” On Oct. 7 Greenville Twp. Fire Department was at Woodland Elementary handing out T-shirts donated by Greenville Eagles to the students.

Keaser takes a full week of vacation from his job at Whirlpool to teach kids about fire safety each year. He spends three days at Woodland, a day at Anthony Wayne and will be going to Bradford this year.

Published courtesy of The Early Bird