By Mary O’KEEFE

Students at Cloud Preschool in La Crescenta had a special treat on Tuesday when members of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s-Crescenta Valley Station and Montrose Search and Rescue came for a visit.

Deputy Eddie Tsuang and MSR members Fred Koegler and Steve Goldsworthy started the morning off showing the gear to the youngest students. In the classroom, Tsuang showed the kids the equipment he uses while on duty, like the nightstick, flashlight and handcuffs, but it was later when the class went outside to see the patrol car and MSR truck that the class had all kinds of questions.

Each child got to sit in the driver’s seat of the patrol car and use the intercom. Then they went over to the MSR display where they heard about swift water rescues and how team members rescue people who go over the side of a cliff. Some of the kids even got to sit in the rescue basket to learn up close and personal how rescues are done.

Before these types of demonstrations, there is a little homework involved for Tsuang.

“I talk to the teachers to see what the [students] are studying and [incorporate that] into my talk,” he said.

So for the morning it was all about the alphabet and later with the older pre-schoolers the focus was construction.

Tsuang was joined by another deputy and the two asked the kids if they knew what 9-1-1 was for and what to do if a stranger approached them.

“I would yell, ‘Fire!’” said preschooler Elizabeth.

“Just Yell Fire” is a film from about 10 years ago that suggests that screaming “Help!” is not the best way for people needing help to get attention. Some people may ignore the cries and others may not want to get involved. Screaming “Fire!” appears to get everyone’s attention.

The deputies talked to the kids about being safe and made them partners by having them promise to brush their teeth, eat their vegetables, do their homework and try to sleep in their own bed.

  Mary Okeefe