Suffolk Fire & Rescue gives kids a chance to become teammates and teach them more than just fire safety skills during their Fire and Life Safety Camp.

The fire department has already had the first two of the three camps this summer at Fire Station 6 on King’s Fork Road.

The camps don’t focus solely on fire safety. The children participating also learn first aid, bike safety, water safety, search and rescue and other topics.

“Hopefully someone might not get hurt because of what they learned in their training this week,” Interim Fire Chief Ed Taylor said during their graduation ceremony.

Their first day in camp focuses on a firefighter’s typical day, and they have the opportunity to spray the hose and put on turnout gear.

While it was a summer camp, camp leader Pam King, a fire investigator with Suffolk Fire & Rescue, sent the participants home with some “funwork,” because you can’t have homework during the summer.

“Their escape plan was essential,” King said. “It is imperative that these kids know what to do and where to go if a fire happens.”

Some of the children took the assignment very seriously, and they asked their parents to run drills in their house.

Lane Russell, 7, was so excited about everything that he made sure to run drills at the house before the week-long camp was even over.

“We heard everything as soon as we got in the car,” said Lane’s mom, Anna Russell. “We quickly made plans and checked all the alarms.”

There is still a third session left for the fire safety camp, but the camp has already been filled. King is happy to have a full class, because she believes in the message.

“Fire safety is important,” King said.