The Survival Kids series of life safety survival skill lessons are designed to provide the children of Maumelle with information to survive an emergency. The program, which completed its ninth year in May 2011, is coordinated by Captains Shane Holmes and Michael Cossey and presented by members of the department's C-Shift. The program is taught to all of the fourth graders at Pine Forest Elementary School in Maumelle. Survival Kids was originally developed by the Boone County, Missouri Fire Protection District in 1994. In 2001, it was implemented in Maumelle with the blessings of former Pine Forest Principal Mary Ask.

Survival Kids steps beyond the traditional education topics of the fire service -- fire and burn prevention. While Survival Kids does include those topics among the seven lessons presented each year, it also includes such topics as bicycle safety, stranger danger & severe weather safety. Survival Kids begins each year in October and continues with one lesson each month until April. The students are challenged with interesting class work in lessons based in English, science, math & history.

At the conclusion of the school year, the students are given a final exam that measures their knowledge of all seven Survival Kids topics. Students who pass all seven topics are given the honorary rank of fire chief. All students participating in the program are recognized for their hard work.

Captain Bullard, with assistance from Firefighter Scott Eaton, explains the basics of
fire behavior to fourth graders at Pine Forest Elementary School.
   
   

Captain Michael Cossey uses an orange to illustrate the layers of human
skin, their purpose and how they are affected by burns.
   

Captain Shane Holmes leads a discussion of safety topics
with Pine Forest Elementary fourth graders.