County organizes Safety Day
More than 600 area elementary students gathered at Riverside Park on Monday morning for the third annual Allen County Safety Days.
Angela Murphy, 911 director with the county, said the day is meant to educate children on safety and safety personnel in the area, and also to have some fun.
“You’ve got to make learning fun to some degree, or they’re (the students) just not going to learn,” Murphy said. It seemed the kids were having no shortage of learning or fun in the parking lot outside of the new community building.
It would have seemed like a disaster area if it weren’t for the smiles of hundreds of children as they learned about safety in Allen County. Police vehicles, ambulances, a care-flight helicopter, K-9 units and fire trucks lined the parking lot for children to explore and learn.
The list of contributing personnel is extensive to say the least: Allen County 911, emergency management, CERT, EMS, sheriff’s department, corrections and reserves; Iola and LaHarpe Police Departments; Iola Fire Department, LaHarpe Rural Fire Department, Allen County Volunteer Fire Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, Iola Electric Department, Eagle Med, Wilson, Montgomery and Neodesha K-9 Units and appearances by Daren the Lion and McGruff all filled the agenda for the program.
“We wanted to open it to all public safety,” Murphy said.
She said the goal was to not only educate, but familiarize the students with emergency personnel, so they are prepared in any situation.
“We want to teach kids about overall public safety,” Murphy said. “We want them to understand and not be scared of the services.”
She said the event was sponsored in part by the Iola Senior Center, and primarily funded by the Allen County attorney’s office. County Attorney Wade Bowie issued an official statement regarding the donation for the event.
“I am committed to helping and know the money will allow you all to focus on the event and not shaking trees to raise money to pay for things,” Bowie said in the release.
