The Westbrook Fire Department’s new tool for teaching kids about fire safety originally came with its own name, “Patches and Pumper.”
But Westbrook firefighters decided to rename the robotic dog and fire truck. “We’re affectionately calling it Sparky Marky,” said Deputy Chief Thaddeus Soltys.
The robot is a remote-controlled device used by fire departments to help in fire safety demonstrations to kids during the school year. It was purchased with a grant from Allstate Insurance.
The department will unveil Sparky Marky at the city’s Memorial Day parade. The talking, driving dalmatian will be out at Together Days as well. And next school year, Sparky Marky will travel to local schools to help teach kids about fire safety.
The $9,800 robot runs on 12-volt rechargeable batteries and is operated by a radio-control handset and two-way wireless voice system with headset. One person can operate both parts of the system, but most likely it’ll be operated by two firefighters.
The hand-held radio system controls the lights and siren and Sparky Marky’s fire engine, which is capable of a top speed of two to three miles per hour and can go forward and backward and turn in a full circle. Like any other firefighter, Sparky Marky also has the ability to pump water from his engine. Though in this case, the “hose” shoots a thin stream of water about 30 feet out of a hole in the front grill.
Sparky Marky moves his head from side to side and moves his hands on the steering wheel while he’s driving. He opens and closes his eyes and moves his mouth automatically when speaking. He plays music, and he even winks. With the siren and the lights, the winking and the talking, the music and the fire hose, he’s built for getting the attention of young kids.
He even got some custom paintwork on his engine from Danny’s Signs in Portland, which gave it a little Westbrook Fire Department flair. He’s got stickers, “WPD” lettering and even some custom stripes.
Eric Beecher, a Maine state fire and life safety educator, will most likely be responsible for driving Sparky Marky’s engine when he’s out and about. He’ll try to bring firefighter Mark Theriault to do the voice when he is available. Soltys said Theriault is really good with kids and does the voice well.
“It’ll put a smile on their faces. Smile and learn at the same time,” said Beecher, who heads up the department’s educational presentations. “I can go over there, stand in the front of them, and they’ll listen. But this brings it to their level. I can’t wait to bring it to the schools.”
While the voice of Sparky Marky will come from a firefighter speaking through a headset, that’s not how he will sound to the kids. The words will be the same, but, thanks to voice-changing technology, Sparky Marky’s voice is not of a full-grown professional firefighter, but of a cartoon character-high-pitched and childish.
“The biggest thing is getting their attention,” said Soltys. “We thought this would be something different than your basic stop, drop and roll presentation.”
The department usually does about six to 10 presentations to the schools every year, said Soltys. Up until now the department has been using a “hazard house,” which is a bisection of a house that presenters can use to show exit options.
The $7,000 hazard house was also purchased with a grant from Allstate a few years ago. Soltys said he feels the hazard house is more useful for older kids than the young ones. The department will use Sparky Marky mainly on kindergarten through fifth graders.
“I think it’s going to be a good educational tool,” said Fire Chief Gary Littlefield. “This one here I think sometimes the kids think is real.”
The Westbrook Fire Department recently acquired “Sparky Marky,” a robotic dog and fire engine combo which will be used as a teaching tool in schools. Send questions/comments to the editors.
