Fire departments throughout our area will be visiting elementary schools every day this week to teach students the importance of fire safety and prevention as part of National Fire Prevention Week, which runs through Oct. 16.

Members of the Tamaqua Fire Department gathered at the Tamaqua Elementary School on Monday.This year's program centers around the importance of checking smoke detector batteries, explained Chris Hadesty, program organizer.Each class will have the opportunity to visit different stations set up on the school grounds, to include viewing all the fire trucks staged outside the school.