Visiting a Fire Station or Police Station

Why Visit a Fire Station or Police Station?

Visiting a fire station or police station with Cub Scouts is always a lot of fun. I haven’t met a first grader yet who doesn’t want to see a fire truck or police car up close.

I’ve been on this with all of my kids as Tigers. JD, DS, and LC all did a fire station visit. They got to see the dispatch center and where the firemen slept and ate when on duty. The high point for each visit was the up close look at the fire trucks. They loved seeing all of the gadgets and having each explained to them.

With ZM’s den, we went to the local police station. That was also fun. The police officer who gave the tour was very patient with all of their questions. (“Have you ever shot anyone?”, “Can I hold your gun”, “How many times each day do you draw your gun?”, etc.) She couldn’t take us to the holding cell because they had somebody in there. Otherwise she would have locked them up. They loved seeing her police car. At the very end she turned on all of the lights and sirens for them. They talked about it for days.

So if you think your Cub Scouts would enjoy it, schedule a visit right away. Hopefully your local police station or fire station will have somebody on staff who enjoys giving tours to a group of eager young boys.

You can also invite a fireman or policeman to come to a Cub Scout Pack Meeting. We had a fireman at our church who would bring all of his gear and show the Cub Scouts how he put it on. We had a fire truck come by once and a local community police officer visit also.

Related Cub Scout Adventures

These adventures all have some requirements which could be completed while visiting a police station or firehouse.

• Tiger Safe and Smart
• Paws for Action
• Forensics

Tips for Taking Your Den on a Visit

1. Plan in advance
2. Stay close and get creative
3. Use parents as resources
4. Think like a Cub Scout
5. Say thank you
6. Keep notes