Montclair Firefighters Visit Local School With Backpack Donations

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The following article comes courtesy of the Montclair Fire Department. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

On Friday, Nov. 17, members of the Montclair Fire Department paid a visit to the Minnie Lucy Head Start School on Baldwin St, Glen Ridge. Chief John Herrmann, Deputy Chief Brian Wilde and Fire Inspector Imelda Muench were joined by the crew of Truck 1, Lieutenant John Benson and Fire Fighters Greg Murray and Kevin O'Brien.

The reason for the visit? The chance to make a donation of backpacks for each child at the school, courtesy of the "Lucia Papa Fund-Children's Fire Safety Program.”

Each backpack contained not only school supplies but fire safety coloring books and prints outs to be shared with parents. The visit’s theme, "Know Two Ways Out," was designed to encourage families to make a home escape plan and practice fire drills. The crew of Truck 1 donned their gear and explained the importance of getting out and to not be afraid to go to Fire Fighters, in their gear, should they ever be in a fire.

The visit and the backpacks were made possible by the generosity of the children of Lucia Papa. On Christmas Eve 1948 the Papas lost three children to a house fire that nearly took the lives of Mr. Papa and their other remaining child as well. To honor their mother's love through such tremendous loss the surviving daughter and her sister, born after the fire, established the Lucia Papa Fund, for the purpose of educating children about fire safety. A legacy that was borne of tragedy will continue to honor the memory of a mother's desire for the safety and happiness of her children and other families, as well, through fire safety education.

Donations to the fund are welcome and may be sent to the Montclair Fire Department, 1 Pine St, Montclair NJ 07042. Please indicate the donation is for the fund when sending.

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Photo: Montclair Fire Department