Ready for work: New Westminster firefighters will demonstrate some of the skills they use on the job at the Oct. 13 open house at the Glenbrook fire hall. Firefighters Jason Lange and Josh Sharkey, at left, recently did some high angle rescue training.
Photograph by: Larry Wright , THE RECORD
New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services is inviting community members to drop by the fire hall during Fire Prevention Week.
Fire Prevention Week, which is being celebrated until Oct. 13, includes an open house at the Glenbrook fire hall on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The fire hall is located at the corner of East Sixth Avenue and McBride Boulevard.
"We have a number of community partners and agencies we work with in the community," said firefighter Kathy Ius, the community outreach and emergency preparedness coordinator. "The idea behind it is to show citizens of New Westminster what we do, what the fire department is involved in."
The open house will include demonstrations of skills such as technical rope rescues, auto extrication and CPR.
A variety of displays will also be set up at the hall, and the fire safety house will visit the city.
Ius said the open house is intended to be a fun and educational day for families.
New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services is also making staff available to visit local schools during Fire Prevention Week, when schools often do fire alarm drills.
"Some schools like to have fire safety talks," Ius said. "We provide the service of being in attendance for the fire safety drills."
The theme of Fire Prevention Week 2012 is Have Two Ways Out. Families are encouraged to plan two ways out of the home in case of fire, in the event that one escape route is blocked.
New Westminster Fire and Rescue Service suggests families make a map of their home and mark a door and at least one window in every room that could be used to get out, choose a meeting place outside where everyone can meet, write the emergency telephone number (911) on the escape plan, practise the escape plan with everyone living in the home, and keep the escape plan on the fridge and practise it twice a year.
