This week is fire safety week, and the Picayune Fire Department has a bundle of safety presentations to give to the local children.

One of those presentations took place Monday with children from the Kids Corner Day Care. About 30 four- and five-year-olds got the chance to hang with Sparky the fire dog, meet real live firefighters and learn about home fire safety, said Fire Chief Keith Brown.

To familiarize the children with a firefighter in full dress, they brought one out for the children to see.

“Our biggest thing is they get scared when they see that firefighter suited up,” Brown said. “Outside of the standard stop, drop and roll, we have to let the kids know he’s there to help.”

Brown said that sometimes during a fire children get scared of the firefighters in full dress and hide in the closet, which can cause fire deaths.

Home fire safety techniques were covered with the kids such as proper use of smoke detectors, how to check to make sure the smoke detectors are working and setting up meeting places outside in the instance of a fire.

During the rest of the month, similar age appropriate presentations will be presented to all children in all of Picayune’s schools.