It took Jones County volunteer firefighters Richard O’Neal and Lance Chancellor about 10 minutes to fully gear up Christy Ledet Wednesday afternoon. It was their goal to show the children firemen aren’t monsters.

The diminutive 16-year-old volunteered to don Chancellor’s turnout gear, helmet, face mask and air tank to show the 40 other children what a firefighter looks like and advise them not to be afraid of them when they come to their home on an emergency. All of the children thought Ledet looked anything but scary, laughing at the teenager as she tried to move around with an added 60 pounds of gear — all except for one small child sitting on the front row who quietly sobbed into her towel.

Camp Noah instructors quickly went to the side of the little girl to console her, and minutes later, a smile reappeared on her face. But the underlying truth was made clear that these and many other children in Jones County have taken away from Hurricane Katrina real fears that, if not addressed now, may continue to follow them into adulthood.

O’Neal and Chancellor represented just a part of the Camp Noah program being conducted at West Laurel United Methodist Church. Camp Noah is designed to bring out and then address the fears of children who have suffered through natural disasters such as Katrina. The program is being instructed by 23 members of the Laurel, Md., United Methodist Church.

“We have had a great week so far,” said Ann Marie Miller, team leader of the Maryland group. “I think the kids are responding well to the program, and everyone has been so nice. The kids want us to stay longer, and I wish we could, but this week is the only one we can stay.”

After the fire safety session taught by O’Neal and Chancellor, the children moved outside to play in a fountain of water provided by the Powers Volunteer Fire Department brush truck.

As for the little girl? She was playing in the water along with everyone else, a broad smile stretching across her face.