Even during the pandemic, the Goodyear Fire Department has continued to seek creative ways to engage with the community -- including children -- and spread awareness about safety, both fire- and non-fire-related.

That's why it created a series of fun videos featuring puppets to drive home important safety messages, such as regularly checking smoke alarms, looking both ways when crossing the street, and wearing a helmet while skateboarding.

“It is vital, even when we have obstacles in our way, to continue to provide safety education to our community,” said Goodyear Fire Chief Paul Luizzi. “I am very proud of their innovative work that they have done to ensure that we are keeping the kids in our communities safe."

The videos feature puppet characters such as "Chief Gus," "Master Sergeant Tim" and the match-smoke alarm duo of "Flame" and "Beep" to present messages in a fun manner that residents, including young children, will remember. These videos can be used during Goodyear Fire Department's presentations at schools across the city.

“The use of puppets is a great teaching tool. A presenter may stand up in front of a group with a message that could easily be forgotten, but when a puppet is up there, they pay attention," said Community Risk Reduction Specialist Maureen Carney, AKA "Fire Pal Mo," who appears in several of the videos. “Characterization not only captures the attention of our audience, but also helps to retain the messages. We love to use this method. It’s fun and entertaining for both the community and presenters.”