Science teachers focus on classroom fire safety

During the Issaquah School District’s professional development day on August 30, middle- and high-school science teachers focused on safety—by lighting the Liberty High parking lot on fire!

Between talking about curriculum in Liberty’s commons, the group welcomed Eastside Fire and Rescue (EFR) firefighters for a hands-on extinguisher demonstration. The firefighters told the teachers what kind of extinguishers work best on what kind of fires—a mini science lesson itself, as teachers thought about how chemicals combine and substance react (for instance: never use a water extinguisher on an electrical fire!).

Then things got hot. The firefighters lit two cauldrons on fire in the Liberty parking lot, and each teacher had the opportunity to use an extinguisher to douse the flames, making sure to sweep side to side at the base of the fire.

“Our first priority is life safety for students and staff,” said EFR’s Deputy Chief Jon Fallstrom. “Sometimes the best way to be safe is to have a properly-trained person use an extinguisher to put out a fire. Other times, the safest option is to get the heck out and wait for firemen to arrive.”

Because secondary science teachers regularly conduct experiments using heat in classrooms, they thought the extinguisher training was important—just in case an emergency situation ever occurs. The flames can move fast, and the teachers felt like they would be able to respond more quickly and decisively after the training.

While waiting to have a turn using the extinguishers, group members kept the conversation scientific—discussing Pluto’s demotion from a full-fledged planet and identifying the progression of Star Trek captains on teacher Tom Haff’s necktie.