Aberdeen Elementary Students Experience ‘First Responders Awareness Day’

ABERDEEN, MISS. (WCBI) – Emergency vehicles converged on Aberdeen Elementary School this morning, but there was no crisis. Instead, it was a chance for children to see and hear from those who protect and serve their community.

First Responders Awareness Day gave students at Aberdeen Elementary a chance to talk with firefighters, police officers, sheriffs deputies, 9 1 1 operators and paramedics. Students were also able to see some really cool vehicles up close.

As students moved from one emergency vehicle, to the next, they were able to hear from First Responders about their jobs and the tools of their trade.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Deputy Tyrone Heard had the idea for First Responders Awareness Day.

“The importance of this event, is to show the kids , building relationships with our kids, which is our future, and maybe someday some of them will want to be first responders,” Deputy Heard said.

Principal Kristen Fondren says the event lets young people see the important roles First Responders play in their community.

“I hope our students take away that the first responders in Aberdeen are very important to the livelihood and safety of everyone in the community,” Principal Fondren said.

“I hope all the kids who came out today realize it takes every piece of this puzzle to make a whole, and realizing that every call that comes in, whether it goes to fire, law anything, starts with 9 1 1 and dispatchers determine who to send the call to,” said Donna Sanderson, Monroe County EMA Director.

Students say they learned a lot and enjoyed seeing all the emergency vehicles, especially the MRAP, used by the sheriff’s department for a variety of situations such as water rescues to hostage extractions.

Deputy Heard wants to expand First Responders Awareness Day to include doctors and nurses in the future.

Deputy Heard, who came up with the idea for the First Responders Awareness Day, previously worked as the School Resource Officer at Aberdeen elementary