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Rivertown Preschoolers Meet First Responders, Fire Chief

HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. -- Local Emergency Medical Services technicians Karl "Corky" Soderstrom and Amy Tilipko welcomed a group of preschoolers for a tour of their workplace Tuesday, April 22, and the children soaked in the important information with smiles and questions.

Rivertowns preschoolers visited the emergency medical and fire departments in Hastings-on-Hudson.

Photo Credit: Danny LoPriore
Hastings-on-Hudson Fire Department Chief Rover Russack gives local preschoolers a tour of the firehouse.

Hastings-on-Hudson Fire Department Chief Rover Russack gives local preschoolers a tour of the firehouse.

Photo Credit: Danny LoPriore
Hastings EMTs Amy Tilipko and Karl "Corky" Soderstrom teach children about the emergency services,

Hastings EMTs Amy Tilipko and Karl "Corky" Soderstrom teach children about the emergency services,

Photo Credit: Danny LoPriore

The Rivertown Pre-School staff, led by director Pat Palfy, led the children on a midday field trip to the EMT and Hastings Fire Station on Main Street in the school's community education program.

"The children really learn a lot and have lots of questions," Palfy said. "We rake them to here (EMS), the fire department, police station and through the village."

Soderstrom, a veteran EMT and former career police officer, said having the children on-site helps allay fears about first responders and what they do.

"The kids become familiar with who we are and what we do," Soderstrom said after taking the children into one of the corps' ambulances. "We enjoy answering their questions and seeing how they feel more comfortable knowing about us."

Hastings Volunteer Fire Chief Robert Russack followed the EMT tour by taking the Rivertown Pre-School kids to visit the firehouse.

"It's a always fun to have the kids come by," Russack said. "We do what we can to teach them about what we do.

Rivertowns Pre-School teachers Karen Wallace, Priscilla Loja, Alexandra Cohen and author Maria Monteiro led the children on the tour.

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