Portugal
participants
Meet Your Firefighters is an activity that aims to raise awareness to the work of professional and volunteer firefighters. By contacting directly with them, International Students learned about fire safety and what to do in case of an emergency. At the same time, they also contributed to these local heroes by visiting their Nativity Scene, which helps raise funds for the fire department.
During this activity, International Students met four members of Coimbra's fire department, who taught them about fire safety and the steps to take in case of a fire emergency, especially inside a building. The students also asked questions about the firefighters' jobs, what it entailed and how they managed such a high pressure job with their own safety and well-being. After this, they were guided by ESN Coimbra's volunteers and the firefighters themselves to the Nativity Scene set up by the fire department. This Nativity Scene has been hosted by this department for over 90 years, and it is a Christmas time staple in the city. Guests who watch it are invited to donate whatever they can to the fire department when watching the Scene.
The International Students who attended learned important things about fire safety and what they could do to help prevent fires and to handle a fire emergency. They also had the opportunity to talk to the firefighters of this department, which was also an incredible learning moment for them. By visiting their building and their Nativity Scene, the students helped support these local heroes who are often underapreciated by the local community, bridging the gap between the international student community in Coimbra and the local community.