Manpower and apparatus from the Jim Thorpe Fire Department answered a call on Wednesday morning not for a disaster response but to educate young people there about fire prevention and safety.

Fire Chief William Diehm explained the importance of smoke alarms and presented a fire safety film to students at the L.B. Morris Elementary school in Jim Thorpe. Other department members explained apparatus and firefighting and rescue equipment and tools to students in the school’s parking lot.

Diehm told the students that the theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week was “every second counts — know two ways out!”

He went on to stress to the assembled students that “when the smoke alarm goes off every second counts for you to get out of your house.”

They should know two ways out of the upstairs area and two ways out of the downstairs areas of their house.

There should be a meeting place outside for family members and someone should call 911 and wait for the fire company to arrive.

Diehm said, “Today between the L.B. Morris Elementary school and St. Joseph Regional Academy the fire company members will have spoken with a total of 914 students” about Fire Prevention Week.”