Third-grade students from Weisenberg Elementary School were recently welcomed to the Weisenberg Township Volunteer Fire Department, Station 51, where they learned about fire safety and toured the station.

Volunteer firefighter Randy Zack discussed fire safety at home with his young audience.

"Every floor in your home should have at least one smoke detector," he told the group.

Zack then presented a video showing how quickly a fire can start when a hot hair dryer is thrown onto a bed and then covered.

In less than 10 seconds, a fire began. After two minutes, the bedroom was fully involved in flames.

After three minutes, a "flashover" occurred. This is when a room is so hot it explodes into flames.

Zack told the youngsters anyone caught in a fire should drop low to the floor because smoke rises. He told them to get out and stay out, not to go back into the fire to rescue anyone or anything.

"Leave that to the firefighters who are trained to do that job," Zack said.

Before viewing the fire equipment, the students were greeted by their teachers, dressed in a variety of fire gear.

Fire Chief Scott Freeman discussed the different types of fire equipment kept at the station.

He showed them the 109-foot-long ladder truck and asked why the fire company needed a ladder that long.

After many guesses, he explained firefighters may need to run the ladder up at an angle to reach the center of a building.

Freeman told students the highest building in the township is Weisenberg Church and the ladder can just reach the top of the steeple.

He also told them firefighters are getting a new engine soon, because they have had this one since 1986.

As engines age, he said they begin breaking down and it is hard to find parts.

Students saw the tanker and learned it holds 4,000 gallons of water. They also saw the fire company's utility truck.

As the visit ended, the third graders were able to climb inside the ladder truck and engine and each received a firefighter's hat and booklet.