With summer setting in, and most grass in the hillside getting dry – On Wednesday we had forest fire at the hill behind the campus. With wind blowing at a high speed – the Fire spread towards the campus . But the whole team at campus worked for few hours to tame the fire. Kids took equal part in this effort – we used water, large branches etc. We ensured everybody’s involvement was safe and within their physical limitations.
Our various training sessions helped us to fight with NO PANIC. Yes, no child at campus panicked, all worked in team. Few became natural leaders and most followed, I was one of the follower and at different points different children were leaders. One of the guest had experience with forest fires, without any arguments we followed his instructions to tame the fire. On the site some arguments, some instructions, some demands, some leadership, acceptance of each one’s capacity to work and no panic were the part of our experience.
Some kids wanted to go deep in forest and save ‘nest of birds, reptiles, and other wildlife’. But our leaders did not agree for the same, some were not happy but agreed to follow. at the end of the day they still had some sadness in their heart to be not able to save wildlife. The work to tame the fire in deep forest was left to forest officers. Kids wanted to do MORE.
After fours hours of nonstop work to tame the fire, the life at campus was normal with our normal routine of sports in the evening….it did not feel that we just witnessed forest fire few hours back :).
In reflection of the event all shared various highlights – like
- We realized that a simple tool of “tree branch” was an excellent tool to tame the fire.
- Importance of listening to each other, no panic, alertness, thinking of variosu solutions, various trainings and knwoing nature around us….
At the end of the some shared ‘feeling sad to not be able to save wildlife, conflict inside to listen to others or to save wildlife”. The reflection was full of stories of how each one acted and thought and ……we had good laugh at the end of the day.
Our boundaries are rechecked, last years’ strategies are relooked, better understanding of living with nature in progress…..and this is our biggest learning at o-campus to learn while we live.
some of the kids want to become ‘Forest officers” and save …