Conway Fire Department unveils interactive fire safety mural
CONWAY, Ark.- Conway’s newest mural is helping to bring families to the Conway Fire Department for an interactive mural search game and to learn more about fire prevention and safety.
“I think it gives us pride. It kind of represents our job to the citizens shows them kind of some of the stuff that we do,” Conway Fire Department Captain Clint Smith said.
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The mural gives the community another outlet for education.
“It gives the community something to come to see, the kids love it, we’ve already had kids by today looking for the objects in it,” Smith said.
Six different fire-related objects within the mural allow for interactive features in the city mural.
“I started thinking. I wonder if the artwork could sort of bring an interactive element for the younger ones,” Mural Artist Joel Boyd said.
The items include a fire truck, hat, boot, axe, cat, and fire hydrant, which showcase what pertains to a firefighter’s job.
“It took us five or 10 minutes ourselves to find everything, but obviously, the kids love it,” Smith said.
The mural, however, is just the start of the education and awareness journey.
“It’s critical to get them down to the fire station so we can have the fire prevention talk and get them comfortable seeing us work,” Smith said.
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According to Smith, the more acquainted they are with first responders, the more they will be able to trust them in times of need during a crisis.
“We always put our gear on, let them see us breathing air, so that is one of the things that is the most scary to the children,” Smith said.
The air tanks distort a firefighter’s voice when they are talking, which is often a sound that scares children.
“We let them touch the guys that are dressed up so they can realize they aren’t dangerous,” Smith said.
The fire station always has open doors, helping to stress the importance of having working smoke detectors, an escape plan, and not going back in if your home is in flames once you are out.
“Just explain it to them that all their toys and everything, everything, like that is replaceable,” Smith said.
An education even for the mural artist during his time working to complete the project for the Conway Fire Department and learning more about the actual job of a firefighter and how to protect his family better.
“Working down here for the last several weeks, I’ve almost had my own sort of education,” Boyd said.
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Firefighters help assist in small to very large accidents and times of need that often put their lives on the line; Boyd says he wanted to find a way to honor that sacrifice.
“Sometimes sacrificing themselves their own life and so it’s really something honorable,” Boyd said.
The best way he knew how to be was to create this hero mural that features the high flames and the firefighters taking action.
Whether you’re a regular or a new visitor, the Conway Fire Department says they are always just a block away and here for the community.
“I think that’s because it promotes our job and builds trust. You know that they can come here for anything,” Smith said.
Smith says the mural is an excellent feature for Conway, allowing the whole family to participate in the fun and learn something themselves.
“It’s great to get exposure to the kids on what we do and maybe their fireman one day,” Smith said.
This project was part of many murals created around the town of Conway.
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“This project, also the one on city hall, the one at stone damn creek trail, the one on the side of the city attorneys building, was all funded and dreamt up by Conway public art board,” Conway Communication Director Bobby Kelly said.
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