To the rescue!

Over the years, the boys have played with a lot of toys.  Some have stood the test of time; others have lasted a mere moment or two.  Their favorites-- Legos, trains, pistols & rifles-- have provided hours of creative play, whether it be in their indoor "laboratory," or on a simulated battlefield in the back yard.  Super heroes, naturally, have been both indoor and outdoor  favorites and one collection in particular lasted for quite some time.  Rescue Heroes, plastic figurines decked out in service uniforms and fully equipped with gear of all sorts, littered our home for months as my little boys daily set out to rescue any helpless soul trapped in harm's way.  Bub and Noh-man zoomed their helicopters from room to room and raced their police cars through the house shouting, "To the rescue!" as the lives of others hung in the balance.

Well, last Wednesday we were blessed with the opportunity to visit some real-life heroes who work just up the street from us.  Along with several other home schooling families, we were looking forward to a tour of the Old Town Fire Station that morning, so, bright and early, the boys and I packed Lolli up in her stroller and headed for town.  

What a fun time we had!!  We saw hoses and boots and helmets and ladders and overcoats and oxygen masks and oxygen tanks and power tools and sirens and all the other wonderful goodies a fire house holds.  (My only disappointment-- no pole.  I just can't imagine a fire station without a pole! Evidently, when the station was built eons ago, a pole was not included in the original planning, and now, due to various structural aspects of the building, adding one is simply out of the question.) 

Anyway-- we all learned tons of things.  For instance:

• The engine is considered their "swimming pool on wheels."  It holds 500 gallons of water.
• The fire truck holds no water, only tools.  Check out this one:  it's called the "Jaws of Death."  With it, a fireman can cut the roof off a car in 30 seconds.

• A fireman needs to get into ALL his gear, including his oxygen mask and helmet, in less than 60 seconds.
• The truck carries little rubbery pillows, of sorts-- about the size of a throw pillow you'd toss on your sofa.  When inflated, one alone can lift and hold a car off the ground.  Several can be stacked together to create passageways through fallen debris, necessary for rescuing anyone who's trapped.  Neat stuff!

After the tour, the firemen granted the children permission to climb on the engine and pose for pictures for their mommas.  We all then started to say our thanks and goodbyes when we were suddenly met with a last minute surprise... the alarm sounded!  One fireman calmly gathered our group along one side of the station while the others dashed across the floor in all different directions.  They yanked on their gear and revved up the trucks to answer an emergency call.  While we watched, the vehicles sped out of the station, lights flashing, sirens blaring, towards their destination across town.  We certainly hoped no one was hurt, but wow!, was that ever exciting!

Flying high, the kids and I headed back down the street towards home, recollecting all we learned and saw. It was the end of a great field trip, topped off with one final treat for mom... this precious moment shared by my two littlest people: