When disaster strikes — be it a house fire, or a car crash — children who are at a scene in which tragedy unfolds before their eyes may get temporarily ignored.
They might be witnessing their family home go up in flames while their parents frantically pace around the yard, trying to locate the family dog.
In those intense moments, “children can seem secondary,” Oliver Paipoonge veteran volunteer firefighter Shane Zimmer said on Wednesday.
“They may not be a focus with their parents or firefighters.”
That’s where “George” may come in.
George, a small garden gnome who has been decked out in firefighting garb, may soon start appearing at Oliver Paipoonge emergency scenes as a cute distraction when children are present.
Zimmer, a fire department captain who has been a firefighter for more than 30 years, said he came up with the idea this summer while attending a rock concert in Wisconsin.
“My wife and I saw (a fellow concert patron) with a gnome, and we thought it was neat,” Zimmer said.
Police and other agencies have routinely brought stuffed animals to scenes of tragedy in order to help traumatized youths cope.
Zimmer said that while George has yet to see any live action, he’s appeared at training sessions. His fellow firefighters are on board with the gnome accompanying crews when they go out on service calls, Zimmer said.
Zimmer said he’s been in discussions with a London-Ont. mental-heath agency that may incorporate George into programming to help children deal with trauma.
