Hundreds take part in Upper Main Line Emergency Services Day

PAOLI » Summer 2002. A cluster of youngsters, ages 7 to 10, are sitting on the grass on the grounds of the Upper Main Line YMCA in Berwyn listening to an educational presentation by the Paoli Fire Co. It is a hot, sweltering day and the kids are talking to each other, fidgeting and dozing.

Nearby, 20-year-old camp counselor Eamon Brazunas is quietly observing and thinking, “There’s got to be a better way to keep the kids’ attention.”

Shortly thereafter, Brazunas asked Paoli Fire Chief Ira Dutter if he could take charge of this event. “Sure, no problem,” said Dutter.

“The first several years,” recalls Brazunas, who is now director of the event, “we started off simple. We added to the presentation a vehicle rescue demonstration, a demo on how to extinguish a car fire, a session on using 911 and another on the use of fire extinguishers.” In succeeding years, “we revved up the program,” adding other area fire companies, police departments, medical helicopters and the Chester County Emergency Services Department.

Recently, the annual Upper Main Line YMCA Emergency Services Day wrapped up its 15th anniversary with 300 participating campers. Today’s event, said Brazunas, is quite different from 2002.

Instead of holding a single presentation for all, activities are divided among six different “stations,” each of which is devoted to a single subject. One station focused on vehicle rescues, another on the use of fire extinguishers, a third gave a demonstration of medical helicopters. At another station, representatives of the Chester County Communications Unit Command Center and Department of Emergency Services discussed their work, including that of the hazardous material unit. The Tredyffrin and Easttown Police Departments manned a 5th station and members of the Paoli Fire Co. and Berwyn Fire Co. discussed their work at the 6th station.

The 300 campers in attendance were divided into six smaller groups, each of which spent 10 to 15 minutes at each station. Smaller groups, Brazunas pointed out, are more effective in holding the kids’ attention and allowing them to participate.

“Because these presentations and activities are closer to one-on-one experiences,” said Brazunas, “it is our hope that the kids will come away with a greater appreciation and understanding of the services performed by emergency service personnel. It’s also our hope that, as they grow older, they may even think about becoming volunteer responders themselves. In fact, we already have members of Berwyn Fire Co., who in the past participated in the Emergency Services Day program.”