Seen here with firefighters with the Laval Fire Department, including department director Patrick Taillefer, are members of the Foley and Nadeau families at Chomedey No. 2 firehall last Sunday Oct. 8. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Martin C. Barry

At some point during their lives, children and parents alike have thought for a moment or two about living the life of a firefighter.

A learning experience

While only a relative few ever follow through on it, once a year – on Thanksgiving Weekend – management and staff at the Laval Fire Dept. fling open the garage doors at the city’s nine firehalls.

Every kid living in Laval – young or older – gets a chance to make believe they’re a fireman or firewoman. It’s always an opportunity to get up close to the shiny, bright red ladder and pump trucks parked in firehall garages all over the island.

A day at the firehall

For kids probably more used to playing with scale-models, actually being able to climb behind the wheel of a huge shiny red rig and being able to touch the intricate controls is something they will probably remember for a long time.

From morning to late afternoon last Sunday, everybody got a chance to learn all about the work of firefighters, to watch and take part in equipment demonstrations, to receive fire prevention advice, and even to climb into a truck and feel what it’s like to live the life of a firefighter.