3rd Grader Wins Ride To School In Tulsa Fire Truck

It's National Fire Prevention Week, and to celebrate, a Tulsa third grader rolled up to school Monday morning in a fire truck.

The sun was just starting rise when 8-year-old Raegan Gilmore climbed in a Tulsa Fire truck and buckled up. Raegan won a Tulsa Fire Department poster contest and the prize was a ride to school with Tulsa firefighters.

“I was very excited,” she said.

As Raegan sat in the back seat on her way to Clinton West Elementary, the winning poster sat on her lap.

“The fire truck is there so it can put out a small fire and a big fire,” she said. “I don't ever want to be in a fire.”

But if she is, Raegan has a plan.

“Go to the mailbox and grab everyone,” she said.

And that's the idea behind the theme TFD came up with for the contest: "Look. Listen, Learn. Be aware, fire can happen anywhere."

Look for dangerous areas in your house that could be a fire risk, listen for the smoke alarm and learn your plan to get out of the house.

“We want them to make plans on what to do if there's a fire. We want them to know they need to get out of the house. Don't worry about their stuff, get out of the house and go to a safe place,” said TFD Fire Equipment Operator Andy Little.

Little also hopes the children will go home and talk with their parents about a small task that will save lives.

“We want them to encourage mom and dad to check those smoke alarms,” he said.

Raegan isn’t the only lucky student to ride in a truck. The winners from the fourth and fifth-grade contests will get to ride to school in a fire truck as well.