T-L Photo/JOSIE BURKHART OR&W Fire District Chief Robert “R.C” Fellows says placing stuffed animals in ambulances helps children ease their anxiety and creates a relationship with the child being transported.

POWHATAN POINT — The Powhatan Point Volunteer Fire Department is accepting stuffed animals for its ambulances to comfort children who need help.

“A squad situation, that’s traumatic for kids because obviously they’re not used to it,” Lt. Jacob Greenwood said. “There’s a lot of things going on at once, so what we do is we try to get our stuffed animals to make them a little more comfortable with what’s going on.”

The department started collecting stuffed animals about two weeks ago after the idea came from Squad Chief Ciera Carleton, who wanted to get items into the ambulances to make children more comfortable in uncomfortable situations.

The fire department has two ambulances that now are both equipped with five to 10 stuffed animals in case a situation with multiple children arises and more than one stuffed animal is needed.

About this time last year, Carleton put bags together that went through the Belmont County Fire and Squad Officers Association for children with special needs such as autism who had to ride in ambulances, but this year she wanted to do something more.

“I think that she saw a need, not only for the autistic kids but also a need for all kids in situations,” Greenwood said. “So, she wanted to have something for all kids to benefit from.”

Greenwood said stuffed animals work well, because they help make kids comfortable when they are young. But the ambulances do have some other helpful items in bags with the stuffed animals, such as toys to keep children occupied.

He also said these stuffed animals can be beneficial in a car accident situation, where they can be given to children outside of the ambulance to distract them from parents being treated inside.

These stuffed animals can also help personnel show children what they are going to do to them, such as putting a needle into the stuffed animal first so they understand the situation better, Greenwood said.

Greenwood also works at the OR&W Fire District in Shadyside, where he took a pediatric call with Carleton. He said the girl who had trouble breathing because a bee had stung her enjoyed having a stuffed animal for comfort. Carleton works at the OR&W Fire District as well, and it began putting stuffed animals in its ambulances last year.

Greenwood also said the department has taken other pediatric calls and children’s reactions to the stuffed animals are great.

“I don’t want to say that it would make it fun because, obviously, no situation where they have to be in an ambulance is going to be fun,” Greenwood said.

“But it might make them a little more comfortable with what’s going on. And being around EMS providers or the fire department, just hopefully to make them more comfortable with what’s going on.”

OR&W Fire District Fire Chief Robert “R.C” Fellows said having stuffed animals in the ambulances can comfort children in emergency situations.

“They help ease the anxiety,” he said. “They help us medically treat them better and create a relationship with the child. That way they can talk and communicate with us better.”

People can donate new and gently used stuffed animals at the station at 104 Mellott St., Powhatan Point, or message the Powhatan Fire Dept. Facebook page to set up a time to meet and donate.