Photograph by George Sakkestad

Justin Weber checks his reflection in the mirrored sides of a fire engine when he visited the Saratoga Fire Department with his classmates at Primary Plus Preschool.

Youngsters learn how city's services work

Preschoolers visit post office, sheriff and fire department

By Michelle Alaimo

Staff meetings have never been so lively, and juveniles have never been so excited to be brought in by Santa Clara County Sheriff Department deputies.

Nearly 50 preschoolers from Primary Plus Preschool on Bucknell Road showed deputies just how much fun a meeting could be when they took over the Westside Substation squad room on the morning of March 25. Some of the 4- and-5-year-olds bonked each other on the heads with balloons while others stretched out on the floor to listen to Deputy Craig Sontra explain why they should never talk to or go with strangers.

"If someone comes up to you with a picture of a lost puppy dog and asks you to help them find it, what do you say?" Sontra asked the lively group.

"No!" shouted the children.

In addition to advice, the preschoolers were taken on a tour of the Westside substation, given stickers, coloring books and a balloon, and as a bonus, each got to go inside a sheriff's squad car.

The tour of the sheriff's station was part of a three-part tour that began in the Village post office and ended in the Saratoga Fire Department.

Sontra said deputies normally give a smaller tour once a month in an effort to show children what the various departments are all about.

"We want to stress that we are here for them if they need us," Sontra says.

Best friends Justin Weber, 5, and Yehia Eissa, 4, were definitely impressed with the tour and say they both want to be police officers when they grow up.

The two also enjoyed the fire department tour where they learned about smoke alarms and all the various equipment that a firefighter wears.

Justin says his favorite part of the tour was watching a firefighter "put his breath on," which was actually the firefighter putting his air tank face-mask on.

Many of the children were more excited about the tour of the Village post office. Amazingly, post office employee Linda Edwards fit all the preschoolers behind the counter as she explained to them how a letter is mailed.

Each child mailed home a letter that contained a "special sticker" in it, Primary Plus teacher Roshounda Ellerbe said. She added that all the children are looking forward to receiving the letter that they mailed themselves.

All groups involved in the tour hope the children are now more comfortable with emergency personnel and have learned what happens to their mail once it is put inside the mailbox.

As a remembrance of the tours, the children received coloring books from the post office and sheriff's station, a plastic firefighter badge, stickers and balloons.

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