Teaching public education is sometimes like coaching very young hockey players; you never know quite how much information is getting through until little Johnny puts the puck deep, gives chase, then passes to his teammate in front of the net to score – just as practised!
Capt. Robert Taylor, a paid on-call firefighter for the City of Maple Ridge Fire Department in British Columbia, led a kindergarten-to-Grade 3 fire safety program in the city’s elementary schools a few weeks ago..
“Later that week, he was doing some driver training with another member,” said Maple Ridge Assistant Chief Timo Juurakko, “and had an experience that I asked him to put into writing.”
Capt. Taylor takes it from here:
“The other day I was working in school doing K-3 pub-ed. As you know, the thought is always in your head – are we making a difference?
“Later that evening I was out doing a new driver training lesson when we came across a stranded vehicle in the middle of an intersection. We pulled to the side of the road and went to try and help, along with another female who had also stopped to help.
“We got the vehicle to a safe spot, and the second female returned to her vehicle.
“Just as we were returning to our lesson I heard the second female say, ‘So you are Capt. Taylor. Thanks to you, we have now checked our smoke alarms, and are working on our escape plans. I cannot even leave the kitchen unless I turn off the pans!’
“As I looked in the back of her vehicle, I saw a young boy waving. He was one of the students we had been with in school.
“Guess we can make a difference!”
He shoots. He scores!