Members of the Ferryland Volunteer Fire Department attend the Holy Trinity Catholic Church’s annual Blue Mass for emergency responders. In the front row, from left, are Chief Algy Windsor, Father Emmanuel Iroulor, Loyola Kavanagh, and Barry Kavanagh. In the back row, from left, are Justin Kavanagh, Desi Johnston, Doug Stoodley, retired firefighters Annie Furlong and Martin Brazil. Ferryland Volunteer Fire Department photo
By Mark Squibb
Fire Chief Algy Windsor says members of the Ferryland Volunteer Fire Department will be meeting as usual with Baltimore students and reminding them of the importance of smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, escape plans, and more, this Fire Prevention Week.
Windsor said he’s always impressed by students’ fire knowledge and eagerness to learn more.
“Some of there questions are pretty intense,” he quipped. “They’re only children but they ask some heavy questions. They ask questions that we have to think about. There might be three or four of us there and we’ll have to discuss the answer. They ask a lot of questions, and that’s great.”
Windsor, who has served with the department for nearly 50 years now, said emergency calls have dropped since the department began meeting with students some 30-odd years ago.
“The kids are bringing the information home to their parents,” said Windsor. “And that certainly makes a big difference.”
He said Fire Prevention Week activites also allows students a chance to see the bunker gear up close and become familiar with the otherwise imposing figure a firefighter decked out in full gear might cut.
“The boys will dress up in their bunker gear and have on their SCBA masks and everything, and we tell the kids, if you see someone like this coming into your house or into your bedroom, don’t run away and hide, it’s a firefighter coming to help you out and take you out of harm’s way,” said Windsor. “Some of our fellows are over 6’2” and with the big yellow tank on their back and the big pile of bunker gear and the mask and the lights flashing on their harness, it could be intimidating. We make sure the kids know who we are.”
The volunteer department currently boasts 22 members.
