Safety Town teaches Amarillo-area kids safety skills in a fun, engaging way

The Amarillo Civic Center was bustling with activity on Wednesday and Thursday as hundreds of children from across the Texas Panhandle participated in Safety Town, an event aimed at teaching kids essential safety skills in a fun and engaging way. Organized by the Amarillo Fire Department and featuring various local agencies, Safety Town has become a favorite annual event for elementary-age children.

Jeff Justus, the community liaison for the Amarillo Fire Department, explained the importance of making safety education enjoyable for kids. "Safety Town is all about teaching kids safety, but making it fun," Justus said. "Because let's face it, safety is pretty boring. Most people don't look forward to hearing about safety."

The event brings together agencies from across the community, including law enforcement, emergency medical services, and health organizations, to deliver safety lessons in a way that captures the attention of young minds. "We created an environment where we can all reach the same kids at the same time," Justus noted.

As part of the fire department’s contribution, children got to interact with the department's Kid Safety House, a model home designed to teach fire safety, and explore a real fire truck. "We invite all of these other agencies to come along. We play music, give out sticker badges, and just have fun ourselves," said Justus. "I think that really makes it fun for the kids."

Justus emphasized the importance of educating children about safety at a young age. "Kids at this age are like sponges and they soak up everything, so now is the time to give them those safety messages they'll remember for the rest of their lives," he explained. "As they get older, they get busier in school and have more activities, and we see less and less of them. We really try to focus on elementary-age kids."

While the program does not always receive direct feedback, the positive impact of Safety Town is evident. "We hear it all the time from the teachers that the kids love it and they want to come every year," Justus said. "A lot of them say this is their favorite event of the year, and for them to say that about a safety event, that's pretty good."

The event has grown significantly over the years. Originally aimed at local schools, Safety Town now attracts students from across the Texas Panhandle. At Thursday’s event, young students from schools in Pampa and Borger joined in, adding to the diverse group of participants. "It was getting harder for us to go to every single school in the city, so we created this event so that the schools could come to us," Justus said. "Now, we're not just reaching Amarillo and Canyon schools, but we've got kids coming from all over the Panhandle to hear that safety message. That's very important to us."

Although Sparky, the Amarillo Fire Department's beloved fire safety mascot, was absent this year, Justus joked that there was a good reason. "Sparky's at the groomer," he said with a smile.

With music, interactive exhibits, and hands-on demonstrations, Safety Town once again provided children with valuable lessons on safety, ranging from fire safety and emergency preparedness to road and water safety. For the Amarillo Fire Department and other participating agencies, the success of the event is measured not just in attendance, but in the hope that the lessons learned will stay with the children for years to come.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Safety Town teaches Amarillo-area kids safety skills in a fun, engaging way