Children tend to learn the best through games, and what better way to learn about firefighters than to play at being one? Aaron Melvin, a volunteer firefighter since 1999 and a longtime substitute teacher, hopes to officially launch Fire Truck Adventure for Kids, one of nine Fantastic Fire Department (FFD) franchises in the nation, this May.
Already an entrepreneur, Melvin met the FFD franchise owner at the National Foam Convention in 2024, and met with him last year to test-run the different party programs. Melvin, working alongside his wife, Melissa, and two sons, Ean and Jackson, brings joy to kids – boys and girls alike, no matter their age.
“We show up with lights and sirens to get the kids all excited,” he says. “We will teach them a little bit of fire history, a little bit of fire safety, and then basically let them be kids. We let them explore the truck. We let them turn on the lights, the siren – especially the birthday boy or girl. We let them try on turnout gear or our uniforms, and we actually let them spray the fire hose.”
Melvin drives a retrofitted 1988 Ford C8000 fire engine, bought from a fire station in southern Alabama. It was in service until it was bought by Melvin.
For birthday parties, packages are either 45 or 60 minutes in length. The 60-minute package allows for a ride in the truck at the end of the party. Melvin’s school or day care visits are two hours long to accommodate larger parties, splitting the program into half-hour chunks to allow all the kids to have the full experience.
In addition to the standard birthday party and school or day care packages, Melvin offers a Water Day package and an Epic Party package, which work alongside his other company, Foam-O-Fun. A Water Day package is very similar to a regular birthday party package, but with much more water involved. Kids get to play with toy water guns, play with tubs of water, and throw absorbent water balls. This package is intended for schools or day care centers. The Epic Party package includes an hour of birthday party activities followed by an hour of playing with foam, and is intended for birthday parties. No matter the package, Melvin and his crew center the kids and allow them to roam from activity to activity at their pace and according to their interests.
As Melvin and his family get ready to launch the concept in May, they’re actively on the lookout for more employees for the summer season. In particular, they are seeking out mature high-school-aged kids who have their driver’s license. Employees would transport equipment to the gigs and lead the parties alongside Melvin and his family. Anyone is welcome to apply.
Fire Truck Adventure for Kids is a children’s entertainment company and should not be called for emergencies. It is not affiliated with any fire departments.
For more information and exact prices for party packages, visit fantasticfiredept.com/indianapolis. For information on Foam-O-Fun, visit foamofunparties.com. To contact Melvin, call 765-481-8935.
