Abington Fire Company Hosts AP Gov Students

ABINGTON—The Abington Township Fire Department (ATFD) taught Abington Senior High School students about the role that firefighters play in the community and provided some fire safety education lessons as part of Student Government Day April 13.

Selected students from the high school's Advanced Placement government and social studies classes were invited to spend a day touring several township agencies to learn more about how their local community operates; one of their stops included the Abington Fire Co., one of five fire companies that comprises ATFD.

"We believe it's important to be a part of Student Government Day so that students can learn more about the volunteer firefighters who serve their community," ATFD Fire Services Administrator David Schramm said. "It's also a great opportunity to fulfill our mission of educating our community about fire safety hazards so that we can work together to prevent accidents before they happen."

Social studies teacher Kevin Conlin said Student Government Day is a chance for students interested in government, criminal justice and politics to learn more about how their own community operates.

"We try to get students in and around the township so they can see where tax dollars go," he said. "It's an eye-opening experience for the kids."

ATFD informed teens about what it takes to become a volunteer firefighter, and also spent some time educating students about home fire safety using the department's “hazard house.”

Smoking is the number-one cause of residential fires, followed by candles.

Abington Senior High School student Ryan VanDorick said he wanted to attend Student Government Day because he is interested in pursuing a career in criminal justice.  He said he’s passed township buildings his entire life, but never thought much about them.

"It's interesting to see what's going on," he said.

Shyanne Bruno, a high school senior, said Student Government Day gave her a better understanding of how local government works, as well as what being a volunteer firefighter involves.

"They said they had a brotherhood, and that it's really close-knitted and more like a family," she said.

Matt Seydel, an Abington Township community police officer, said he attended Student Government Day when he was in high school, and it helped him learn more about his own community, including the fire department.

The ATFD headquarters is located at 1176 Old York Road in Abington. For more information, call 267-536-1055 or visit www.AbingtonFD.org.

Information courtesy of Jessica Lester/Abington Township Fire Department