Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Dustin Swartzmiller, left, Washington Bottom Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Chelsea Barker, center left, Lubeck VFD President Colton Shoemaker, center right, and Washington Bottom Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Barker, right, give high fives to students at Lubeck Elementary School Tuesday. The students honored local firefighters with hundreds of handwritten notes and drawings, thanking them for their work in battling the IEI Plastics warehouse fire last week in Parkersburg. (Photo by Michael Erb)

Students and staff thanked members of the Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department and the Washington Bottom Fire Department for their service during the IEI Plastics warehouse fire on Camden Avenue in Parkersburg which burned for more than a week, closing area schools and businesses while prompting a health warning and concerns over air quality.

Second-grade teacher Paula DeLong came up with the idea of students creating thank-you cards for firefighters while schools were closed last week.

“Our community came together during the fire and made sure our firefighters had food and water,” she said. “I wondered what our students at Lubeck Elementary could do, and I started contacting the parents of my students about everyone making cards while they were out of school and at home.”

DeLong said she was surprised by the amount of cards she received when school resumed Monday, and other teachers asked their students to create cards in the classroom. DeLong also created a fire-engine box to hold the hundreds of cards and notes.

Students at Lubeck Elementary School presented area firefighters with hundreds of handwritten thank-you letters and cards Tuesday to show appreciation for the efforts of area volunteer fire departments during the massive IEI Plastics warehouse fire in Parkersburg. (Photo by Michael Erb)

“It was a way for the students to express how grateful they are for the firefighters,” she said. “They’re all aware of what was going on with the fire in Parkersburg last week, and I have two students in my class whose parents are firefighters, so this hit close to home for everyone.”

Lubeck Volunteer Fire Department President Colton Shoemaker, who is a firefighter and EMT, said everyone was honored by the recognition and the efforts of the Lubeck students.

“I think this shows how well this community has come together during this event,” he said. “We know the students are just as thankful as their parents and the community. It’s outstanding.”

Shoemaker said area firefighters already work closely with schools to help students learn about fire safety, and returning to Lubeck Elementary is a step back toward normalcy.

“We are still in recovery, but it’s nice to get back to the normal kinds of events,” he said.

Many of the students gathered in the gymnasium for the assembly audibly gasped when told they’d be seeing “real firefighters.”

“I feel happy, because we get to thank them,” said second-grader Morgan Wicker. “They work really hard to keep us safe.”

“They worked so hard to put out the fire and we got to make cards for them.” said fourth-grader Derek Sandy. “It was fun.”

Fifth-grader Dylan Holliday said the firefighters worked hard to contain and put out the fire in Parkersburg.

“It took all their time away from family that whole week to do that,” he said. “We need to show them respect.”