Public Safety Day
Bouncy houses, brick-oven pizzas, dance music, and Sparky the Dog: Malden held its third annual Public Safety Day in honor of Fire Prevention Week on Sunday at the Linden-STEAM Academy. The event centers around connecting children and parents with public safety officials to feel more comfortable with those working within the city to maintain their safety, while also going the extra mile to make the event extravagant fun.
Sparky the Dog is a mascot that makes learning about fire safety more interactive and enjoyable for the children of Malden.
“The most important thing is interacting with the kids, and connecting with them through engagement rather than a pamphlet or packet,” says Trooper Donahue, who attended on behalf of the Massachusetts State Police. Tables laid out with safety equipment such as vests and medical bags were on display, monitored by Malden Police Department officials, to give the children a close-up look at what the MPD does. The Malden Fire Department invited children into the engines lining the street where they could explore its inner workings. According to Detective Sergeant Michael Powell, “Malden is one of the safest communities in the Greater Boston Area.” He reiterated the sentiment of connecting with the children of such a vibrant community.
Kenya, a mother of two who hopes to enroll her kids at Linden-STEAM Academy, says she was in attendance to “expose her children to safety measures in a healthy way, [and] making sure they know what a firetruck and police car look like is important, so they know who to call when something’s wrong.”
Members of thee Malden Fire Department bake pizzas with a brick oven on the back of their engine for the community to enjoy.
Beyond its educational purposes, the event was adorned with stands providing snacks and hot dogs. The Malden Fire Department even operated a pizza oven on the back of their engine. Aside from free food, a table offering Moderna vaccines was also available to anyone in need, where they may get their follow-up dose at Malden City Hall two weeks later. Inside the school was an arts and crafts station with free pumpkins for all families in association with the Jr. Aid Association of Malden.
A stand promoting Moderna COVID-19 vaccines makes it more accessible for Malden residents to protect themselves against the potentially fatal virus.
Fire Prevention Week is held in honor of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which had roughly 250 casualties. The Fire Marshals Association has since then determined the day should be commemorated with awareness of fire prevention, and Malden hopes to continue the tradition of educating children and families of the community for years forward.
