The end of this school year will also be the end of an amazing 50-year contribution to community safety in the Mt Dandenong area.
Kalorama-Mt Dandenong Fire Brigade member Ken Stewart, or ‘Fireman Ken’ as he is known throughout the community, will be stepping down from his role as a fire safety presenter at the local primary school and pre-school.
Ken started delivering fire safety training to the local Mt Dandenong Primary School and Mt Dandenong Pre-school in 1976, and since then has educated an estimated 10,000 children over 50 years.
These sessions included classroom sessions, fire truck visits, visits to the fire station and forest walks discussing fuel and risks. Many of these children are now parents themselves (their children also being taught fire safety by Ken) and some of these students have become members of CFA and other emergency services. Unsurprisingly, Ken is a legend in the local area.
Wendy Britt, ex-Principal of Mt Dandenong Primary School described Ken’s work as “absolutely outstanding”. Educating the children without frightening them was a priority – as was getting the message home to families. Ken used humour to put children at ease and had endless patience. It was important for the children to understood what to do in smoke and that that a firefighter could be your friend.
In addition to his local commitment, Ken was a casual educator with CFA for more than 10 years. During this time he drove a mobile education unit around the state, delivering fire safety messaging at more than 500 schools and more than 50,000 school students. His efforts have equipped countless families and young people with essential knowledge that has strengthened community resilience.
Ken said he will miss teaching fire safety as it is such an important topic and he will miss the fun and excitement that the students bring to his life.
When he goes into the local pizza takeaway to pick up his order, the young man serving him will often call out, “Hey, Fireman Ken”.
He will always be Fireman Ken to the local community.
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