Instant-Sellout Camp Launches! Yunlin's 'Little Firefighter Camp' Unveils VR Disaster Training with 7 Hands-On Activities for Kids

The annual 'Little Firefighter Summer Camp' in Yunlin County, known for selling out instantly upon registration, has officially launched! The first session kicked off at the Mailiao Social Education Park, attracting 150 elementary school students from grades 3 to 6. As summer brings heightened risks of water-related accidents and online fraud, the camp integrates seven hands-on training stations—including VR earthquake simulations and rope rappelling—into its curriculum, allowing children to master life-saving emergency response skills through play.

This summer, Yunlin County Fire Bureau has specially designed an interactive, scenario-based educational program for students in grades 3 to 6, breaking away from traditional safety lectures. Through seven experiential stations—VR disaster simulation, water rescue drills, disaster-themed Monopoly, fire hose training, rope rappelling adventure, CPR golden-minute practice, and anti-drug/anti-fraud interactive games—the camp transforms rigid safety knowledge into practical, portable disaster preparedness skills.

Addressing youth safety during summer break, Yunlin County Deputy Magistrate Hsieh Shu-ya emphasized that this period marks peak outdoor activity and internet usage for children. Whether it's water safety, online scams, or emerging drug threats, these are all critical issues the county government prioritizes.

Hsieh stated, 'Our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents, while fire and water show no mercy. In disasters, life and death hang in the balance. Being alert and responding wisely in critical moments requires cultivating disaster preparedness awareness and skills from an early age.' She hopes the camp’s fun, educational approach will instill calm crisis response abilities in children, turning them into seeds of disaster education who bring these concepts home to teach their elders—ultimately realizing the vision of 'preparedness prevents disasters, hoping for a safe Yunlin and a disaster-free Taiwan.'

In response to many parents who missed registration, Yunlin Fire Chief Lin Wen-shan announced that this year’s camp will run in three sessions, training a total of 450 students. To strengthen the community’s overall safety net, the Fire Bureau will actively seek funding to expand the program, giving more Yunlin children access to hands-on learning and bringing public disaster preparedness and anti-fraud awareness into households, thereby enhancing the county’s overall disaster resilience.