Play Marco and the Fire”: Children learn how to deal with fire hazards!

Play Marco and the Fire”: Children learn how to deal with fire hazards!

The play “Marco and the Fire” has become a real crowd puller for primary school children since its premiere on October 17, 2015 in the Festhalle Geinsheim. Over 100,000 children from Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse have already taken part in this educational piece. The main task of the theater is to teach children in a playful and entertaining way how they should behave in the event of a fire, a topic that is of great importance given the around 200,000 fire brigade operations and up to 700 fatal fires in Germany every year. According to Rheinpfalz, the piece is closely connected to the efforts of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Fire Brigade Association.

The story revolves around the characters Marco, Philipp and Lucie, who become involved in various dangerous situations, including a campfire at night. This activity offers children the chance to learn about fire hazards and how to properly alert the fire department. The project is supported by around 50,000 fire departments in Germany, which plays an important role in fire prevention and helps reduce the number of fire victims.

An educational concept for children

Children learn best through play and adventure. Therefore, “Marco and the Fire” was developed in collaboration with Tanja Hamleh from the touring opera and director Klaus-Dieter Köhler. The scientific principles also come from Professor Dr. Herbert Günther from the University of Koblenz-Landau, who had already initiated a fire protection education project in 2005/06. The aim is not only to entertain children, but also to raise awareness of important behavior in an emergency, according to the Versicherungskammer Stiftung.

The events are usually closed and are aimed directly at schools, which can book the play together with a “Fire” action day. For this day of action, schools also have access to educational teaching materials and support from local fire departments. Bookings are made via the Tournee-Oper organization office using the contact details info@tournee-oper-mannheim.de and telephone 06202 – 590 72 10. Further information can also be found on the website Opiernretter.

A valuable contribution to fire protection prevention

The intention behind the play goes beyond pure entertainment: it is a clear appeal to parents and schools to convey the importance of fire safety to children at an early stage. Firefighters have to carry out around 200,000 missions every year, although many could be avoided through education and prevention. With the support of the Versicherungskammer Stiftung and the Rhineland-Palatinate State Fire Brigade Association, the play “Marco and the Fire” makes a significant contribution to improving the safety of children. It turns out: education can save lives.