Youngsters learn valuable lessons throughout ‘Crucial Crew’ safety week

Rotary clubs across the area came together to give school students the opportunity to learn vital lessons about safety.The week-long programme for Year 6 youngsters, called ‘Crucial Crew’, was started by the Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service in 2003 to improve the safety of school children.This is done by raising their awareness of situations which could be unsafe, and what to do to protect themselves and others.

West Norfolk students travel by bus to the main fire station in Lynn from their schools and spend half a day there, with Rotary members helping to organise the events as well.In total, more than 1,060 pupils from 32 primary schools took part this year. Sarah Chalke, prevention coordinator for the Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Another very successful week with a total of 1,060 Year 6 pupils from the primary schools in West Norfolk taking part.“There were seven different scenarios for the children to learn from provided by volunteers and staff from the fire services, police, ambulance, RNLI, road safety, St Johns Ambulance, gas safety and NHS emotional wellbeing.

“This teaches them to be aware of risks such as online abuse, water safety, fire in the home, gas escapes, injuries and resuscitation, CPR and emotional health in handling stress.“We have no doubt that lives and injuries have been saved over the 20 years this programme has been running.“We appreciate very much the time given by everybody, including Rotary who manage the running of the event, taking the groups of children around the site to the different events.” Bob Hindry, the Trinity Rotary Club of King’s Lynn organiser during the safety week, added: “A successful week seeing all the children really learning of issues and situations to protect them and others.

“My thanks go to all the Rotarians who took part. Five Rotary Clubs come together to run the event smoothly from Hunstanton, Lynn, Lynn Trinity, Lynn Priory and Downham clubs.“They are keen to help and we get a lot of satisfaction from helping to run what is quite a complicated event.”

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