PHOTO COURTESY MILTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

This year’s safety fair in Milton will be held June 14 and will include attractions such as the Junior Firefighter Challenge and a smoke trailer, which teaches children what to do when there is a fire in their home.

Safety fair to teach life-saving skills

By Meghan Erkkinen

Safety will be the main message in Milton June 14, as children and their families flock to the annual safety fair for demonstrations, games, food and fun.

The safety fair in Milton has been held at least since 2000, if not longer. This year, the Milton Fire and Police departments are teaming up to teach children valuable lessons that could save their lives.

“It’s targeted to children mostly,” said Karen Whitney of the Milton Fire Department. “We advertise at all of our local schools here in the city, all the way from elementary school to our middle school.”

The safety fair, which usually attracts around 300 visitors each year, will feature a variety of activities for children and their families. The most popular ones include the Junior Firefighter Challenge, an obstacle course where children can prove their skills, and the smoke trailer.

The smoke trailer is built like a miniature house, and children can work their way through rooms while learning valuable safety tips about fire prevention and what to do in case of fires. The children exit from the bedroom window upstairs when “smoke” begins to fill the room.

Other attractions this year will include fire extinguisher and car extrication demonstrations, a booth to teach children how to dial 911, fire safety information and the Milton Police Department K9 unit. Also this year will be a Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital mobile immunization unit, a bloodmobile and children identification cards.

Another favorite is the hand washing trailer, which teaches children proper hand washing techniques. To test their skills, adults will shine black lights on the children’s hands once they are done, revealing any remaining dirt and missed spots. Concessions will also be available to purchase.

The safety fair will be held rain or shine at the Milton Activity Center and the City Hall parking lot, at 1000 Laurel Street in Milton. For more information, call the Milton Fire Department at (253) 922-0944.

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