Kid’s Craic: Fir Na Tine

By Megan Lardie

The month of May brings so much to appreciate. Mother Nature awakening from the cold of winter with bright colors blossoming, the promise of warmer weather, Nurse and Teacher Appreciation weeks, and, of course, Mother’s Day.

May also brings International Firefighter Day on the 4^th. This is a day dedicated to recognizing the sacrifices that firefighters all over the world make to keep us all safe. Fir Na Tine is Gaelic for Men of Fire.

The Early Beginnings

The very first fire department is believed to have been in Rome over 2000 years ago. People were selected to roam the city to look for fires as well as enforce fire codes. These people were called “Corps of Vigiles.” Augustus Ceaser selected the people from slaves and unfortunately, they were not paid for their work.

The first fire department in the United States is credited to Ben Franklin. This was a volunteer department that started as a “club” to protect each other’s homes in case of a fire.

If a fire was discovered, these people would sound an alarm and then help organize bucket brigades. In 1853, Cincinnati, Ohio was the first city to replace volunteers with horse-drawn steam fire engines and to form a paid career fire department.

The Fire Fighting Irish

Why are so many firefighters Irish? When the potato famine broke out in Ireland, nearly 2 million Irish immigrants settled in the United States. They ended up in big cities like New York, Chicago, Boston, and Baltimore. They were met with widespread anti-Irish and anti-Catholic prejudice and discrimination.

Due to this, they were forced to take jobs that were dangerous and paid very little, such as law enforcement and firefighting. Since then, Irish Americans have sought out these jobs not only out of necessity but because of family tradition as well. Many firefighters are working now that are 3^rd or 4^th generation firefighters.

More Than Fire and Water

Firefighters are trained to extinguish fires, but they do so much more for the community. They are a part of search and rescue operations to locate and evacuate people who are trapped, not only in fires but in other emergencies.

They provide emergency medical care, such as CPR. They are trained to respond to hazardous material spills or leaks to minimize the risk to the public. Firefighters spend a great deal of time giving safety presentations and participating in community events to raise everyone’s awareness about fire safety.

They also are constantly improving their skills, knowledge, and readiness to respond to emergencies for all of us! Take some time this month or any time during the year to let firefighters and all first responders know how much you appreciate them. Drop off a meal or some treats, write a thank you note, seek out opportunities to volunteer throughout the year, and most definitely, change the batteries in your smoke detectors!!!!

Kids in the Kitchen

Homemade Salsa Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 Roma tomatoes (When in season, these are great. If not in season, you can use canned tomatoes for more consistent results. Be sure to drain the juice.)
• ½ White onion
• 1/3 cup Cilantro
• 1 Jalapeno (the seeds are what make it spicy, so if you like a lot of spice add the seeds)
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Tablespoon Lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of pepper
• Pinch of sugar

Directions

• Roughly chop tomatoes and place half into a blender.
• Add lime juice to the blender.
• Roughly chop the onion and jalapeno and add to the blender along with garlic cloves.
• Add the remaining chopped tomatoes, cilantro, sugar, salt, and pepper.
• Pulse ingredients until the blender gets going (add a couple of tablespoons of water if needed).
• Blend at low speed until the salsa is smooth.
• Let it sit for 1-2 hours in the fridge for bolder flavors. The salsa will turn a darker red and the flavor will enhance.

Tips

If you prefer a chunkier salsa, use the pulse setting on your blender until the salsa is at your desired consistency. Once chilled, taste test before serving, as you may want to add more salt (or garlic salt) for your taste.

Literature Corner

Children of the Fire

By Harriette Gillem Robinet

In this historical fiction book, eleven-year-old Hallelujah is intrigued by the fires burning all over her city of Chicago. She does not realize that these fires are going to change her life forever. It is 1871, the year of the Great Chicago Fire and Hallelujah finds a new friend who could not be more different, but their shared experiences will make them friends forever. For ages 8-12, 144 pages.

Look for the Helpers

By Alexandra Cassel

Mr. Rodgers used to always say, “Look for the helpers.” In this book, Daniel learns some important lessons about what to do when bad things happen. Whether it is a bad storm, a natural disaster, or anything else scary, you will always find good people helping out those who need it. For ages 3-7, 32 pages.

Q. What do you call a jacket that goes up in flames?

A. A blazer

Q. Why did the match’s house party end in flames?

A. Because the party was lit!

Gab in Gaelic

The fire will warm you =
Beidh tine te tú