Back-to-back open houses at fire departments in Gloucester and Mathews will give residents of both counties a chance to view fire apparatus and gear and learn a few things about fire prevention and their local fire departments’ capabilities.
In Gloucester
A Fire Prevention Open House at Gloucester Station 1 on Main Street will be held from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. this Sunday, Oct. 5.
There will be station tours, fire truck rides by qualified driver/operators, and demonstrations on how to use a fire extinguisher, said fire prevention officer Lt. Tony Villani. EMS providers will staff a medic unit to show and tell about their work, and firefighters will don all of their firefighting gear to show children what they look and sound like in a rescue situation. On top of that, Sparky the Fire Dog will be on hand.
An information table will provide adults and children age-appropriate fire and life safety information, said Villani, and children will be offered plastic fire helmets, stickers, and coloring books. Adults will be offered Home Fire Escape Plan templates, he said, and everyone will be shown photos illustrating the importance of keeping their bedroom doors closed.
Villani said the annual open house offers a good opportunity for anyone interested in becoming a firefighter or EMT to talk with people in the field, and teenagers can inquire about becoming a fire cadet or junior EMT.
For more information, call Station 1 at 804-693-2148.
In Mathews
Open House at Station 1 in Mathews will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12, after firefighters have spent the week visiting schools and giving a program on fire prevention.
All fire apparatus and the fire boat will be on display at Station 1, which is located at Brickbat Road and Church Street, said fire prevention officer Rob Hudgins, and concept drawings for the new Station 1 being built in the former Boys and Girls Club will be available for perusal.
There will be fire prevention materials for children, along with a membership table for those interested in joining and a table with equipment so people can have some hands-on contact. Information and membership applications will also be available for the Marine Incident Response Team.
The Mathews Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary will be offering light refreshments, said Hudgins, and everyone in the community is welcome and encouraged to attend.
For more information, call 804-725-2119.