Winter break. It sounded like a good thing to have the kids home for a couple of weeks in February. But it gets kind of hard to entertain them everyday without it costing a fortune. So I scheduled a couple of field trips that they needed to get done for some merit badges and cub scout requirements.
A lot of their fellow troop and pack buddies were out of town or sick, but we invited anyone interested to come with us. We toured Fire House #5 in Spokane Valley and learned a few things about fire safety. They also have the kayaks and canoes for water rescues.
Just like any other trip to the fire department, it wouldn't be complete without getting your picture taken while you're sitting inside the truck. I was surprised that both Braden and Nathan were able to crawl up into the cab.
Cameron must have studied the weights and dimensions of a fire truck before going, because he riddled the firemen with facts and statistics. I don't think they were expecting a 12 year-old to know all the details about compression, psi, and fuel tanks.
Never a dull moment on our outings!
We had a few other cub scouts join us on our field trip to the Spokane Police Department downtown.
The uniforms have come a long way since the incorporation of a community task force back in the late 1800s.
Part of the tour included a historical tour through the department that showed all the pictures of fallen officers, current and past chiefs, and numerous famous cases and events that have happened in Spokane.
What I found fascinating about our visit was that some of the boys (ie. mine), knew the names and details about several of the weapons and items that were used by law enforcement over the past centuries. But one thing that remains the same, the best tool a good policeman has, is their quick thinking.
Having lived by several officers in the department for several years, the boys were excited to recognise several friends and neighbors on the wall of duty.
In our wanderings with our police guide, we spotted someone that we knew-the head honcho himself-Ozzie Knezovich, Sheriff of Spokane County. He was kind enough to stop and visit with us and let us take some pictures with him.
The timing was just right, because one of the officers that is in charge of the SWAT team and the under-cover team, happen to be returning to the station just as the boys were checking out the SWAT vehicles. Spokane has 2 iron trucks that are used by the Bomb squad.
The one seen here, was purchased a few years ago, for over $300,000. It's a beast of a machine.
The officer opened up the under-cover van and let the boys go inside and see how SWAT operations and rescue tactics go down. The shield was quite heavy, and they all got a chance to try it out for size.
The tour lasted for almost two hours. The boys really got to see quite a bit of the workings of the department and the old city jail. [The cells are now filled with office equipment and supplies.] When you're a boy, there's just something cool about fire fighters and policemen! It was a great week to visit both departments and learn more about how they operate. Yea for programs that encourage the boys to do more than just sit around and watch TV!!!
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment