Ahead of the autumn school vacation, the Botanica Rescuers and Firefighters Detachment of Chisinau organizes the "Security School" for fourth and fifth graders from all over the country. On Thursday, 40 students of "Elena Alistar" High School participated in simulated fires and a series of specialized presentations, which were attended by IPN’s reporter.

Employees of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations guided the children through the thematic rooms of the "Security School", where they were presented with details about the most tragic cases. "Here we have a picture of the largest fire in the history of the Republic of Moldova. It happened in Balti, where over 400 houses burned as a result of a fire that started from a simple match,” said the Inspectorate’s specialist Elena Haranovschi.

The children also participated in simulated earthquakes and other potential risk situations, all accompanied by sound instructions with real sounds used in special rescue operations.

In a dialogue about household appliances and the rules of using the devices, the firefighters gave the children an informative leaflet entitled "When you are alone at home, observe the following".

The specialists urged the young people to avoid playing with fire and all sources of fire, such as matches, lighters, candles, and not to venture into playing with electrical cables or sockets. Moreover, the firefighters asked the children to be cautious when using household appliances, heating sources, and to use them only under the supervision of grownups. The rescuers warned the students about the dangers of using sharp utensils and cleaning chemicals, which can be found in the house.

The children were invited to a room destroyed by fire, where they were explained the consequences of a case when the candle was the source of a tragedy. In the closed room, the children could hear the shrill sound of the alarm system, smelled the smoke. They were taught how to put out a fire in the house with a pot and a piece of cloth.

After exploring the thematic rooms, where exhibits and dioramas with exceptional resonance situations are presented, the children were able to see the firefighters in action, demonstrations how to extinguish a fire with a simple fire extinguisher and how to get out of a room engulfed in smoke and flames.

Also, the students met with a crew of firefighters, who returned after dealing with a fire in Botanica district. The rescuers showed them how, in a few seconds, they put on their equipment when they need to leave for a new mission.

Traditionally, before the autumn vacation, the students have a lesson in which they are taught the security regulations. Galina Versteac, a teacher at "Elena Alistar" Theoretical High School, organized for this purpose a visit to the “Security School”, where a practical lesson becomes much more complex and interesting than a theory one.

"I am very glad that we managed to organize this experience for them. They are very excited. Today's event was important not only for their general culture, but also for their protection and safety. Last week we also visited the National Bank. I am glad that I can offer them such educational experiences,” related Galina Versteac.

The “Security School” is visited daily by two or three groups of students. Annually, over 20,000 children participate in the training exercises. The Inspectorate for Emergency Situations encourages young people and principals of educational institutions to visit the “Security School” in order to be ready to react appropriately in risk situations, IPN reports.