Preschoolers celebrate truck day

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Two-, three- and four-year-olds could barely conceal their glee during the Riverdale Temple Nursing School’s third annual “Truck Day” on May 21.

“Fire truck!” the pre-school students screamed as they exited the 4545 Independence Ave. school to discover the truck’s ladder shooting up to the roof of their school.

Firefighters including Jimmy Long, 25, climbed the ladder to demonstrate how a fire rescue might begin at the school. Meanwhile, students posed with their parents and other firefighters in the vehicle’s passenger compartment.

Even the representatives of the city’s other agencies were impressed.

“It’s my first time getting up there!” Community Affairs Officer Mindy Ramos of the 50th Precinct said after climbing the truck’s ladder. Officer Ramos noted that she had attended the school’s first Truck Day back in 2013.

“It’s not like we feel bad for any of the other guys out here,” Capt. Robert Keating of Ladder 52 joked as the children swarmed the fire truck. “Everyone coming out here is about being part of the community.”

To accompany the fire truck sent by Fire Engine and Ladder 52, the 50th Precinct sent a police van and the Sanitation Department of New York (SDNY) sent a dump truck. Preschool students also had access to a Bobcat skid loader at the event.

“Click, click,” mumbled Aiden Shaifer, 2, as he simulated moving the right and left joysticks of the skid loader. 

“The kids love it. They stop dead in their tracks when they see trucks like these,” Principal Suzanne Boydstun said. “It falls into social studies, but really it’s just hands-on.”

Popsicles and other cold treats rounded out the event from perhaps the most popular vehicle of all — the ice cream truck.

Riverdale Temple Nursing School, Mindy Ramos, Robert Keating, Ladder 52, 50th Precinct, SDNY, Nic Cavell

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