The Hollis Fire Department held its 10th annual Bike Rodeo on June 30. Children were invited to bring their bikes or scooters and helmets to Hollis Primary School to have them checked, learn about safety and test their skills on a course around the back of the school.

The Bike Rodeo “is designed to set up a series of learning objectives. Each one is designed to teach something different for traffic safety for kids on a bike,” said Scott Hunter, who has been part of the department for nine years. “As kids get older, we notice that kids are less and less likely to wear a helmet.”

The rodeo encourages kids to follow the laws of the road, like riding on the right-hand side, stopping for stop signs and lights and wearing a helmet.

Firefighter Amy Rodier volunteered at her first Rodeo this year and ran the “Figure 8” station, where participants try to keep their balance and stay to between the lines of a chalked figure eight.

“It tests ability, agility and makes kids aware of safety,” Rodier said. “If we go to less accidents on the road involving kids with bicycles, it makes our job a lot easier.”

Many children knew the skills they learned or practiced at the rodeo would keep them safe.

It was the first rodeo for Colin Duffy, 7. Colin said kids should learn bike safety, “so you don’t get hurt while you’re doing it.”

Isabelle Colantuonio, 8, took part in her second rodeo. She said if one does not learn safety, “you can’t ride your bike properly and you might get hurt.”

Another participant, Luke Malone, 6, said one of the things he has learned at the three rodeos he has been to was, “how to ride a two-wheeler” and “how to ride your bike so you don’t get hurt on your bike.”

Isabelle’s mother, Liz Colantuonio, said, “I think (the rodeo is) great because the kids get their helmets checked and their bikes checked.”

She also said the event is great because attendees get to know the firefighters, “which is important so they get comfortable with them.”

At the beginning of the course, a truck from Goodale’s Bike Shop in Nashua was full of tools used to check and fix bikes. Brian Whalen, of Goodale’s, has done two rodeos and checked about 30 bikes each time.

The rodeo “teaches kids how to be safe on their bicycles in this environment, especially in a small town like this. A lot of families get out and ride so it’s important that everyone’s aware of traffic and making sure everything’s safe to ride,” Whalen said.

Since its inception 10 years ago, the Bike Rodeo has had few changes. According to Hunter, the location changed from the high school to the primary school in order to “give us a little more exposure.”

Hunter and Joe Brulotte, a Hollis firefighter for 29 years, said the number of kids who have showed up has grown from about 25 children the first year to about 75 this year.

“As we progress, we’re getting more and more turnout here, more of the kids coming through and getting properly trained as far as stop signs and hazards on the road and being more aware,” Brulotte said. “I think the critical thing is to make them more aware.”

While families attended the program and firefighters hosted it, sometimes the two blend and the families of firefighters participate.

Father and four-year, full-time firefighter, Don Cole, was there with his wife Lisa, daughter, Taylor, 3, and son, Travis, 1.

“As a dad, it’s good for my kids to know how to recognize stop signs, recognize street signs and to let them know where it’s safe,” Cole said. “As a firefighter, obviously it’s important to teach every kid how to be safe on the road with their bicycles.”

“I think the department is one big family,” Hunter said. “The department members that are here with their children, that’s their contribution. It would only be a success if the kids come.”