Fire safety, fun, on deck with Georgina Fire open house this Saturday

Event runs from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Sutton fire hall on Snooks Road and includes pancake breakfast and afternoon barbecue

Yorkregion.com
September 19, 2018
Heidi Riedner

Big, shiny, red trucks with ladders can usually be counted on to draw a crowd, but some pretty cool interactive demos with valuable safety messages will come with the equipment at the Georgina fire department's annual open house event being held this Saturday in Sutton.

Meet your local firefighters and have some fun from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Sutton fire hall, located at 37 Snooks Rd.

The day includes a free pancake breakfast, afternoon barbecue and whole host of activities for all ages. Kids are sure to get a kick out of the bouncy castle and Sparky the fire dog, but everyone can try their hand at navigating fire extinguisher training, a search and rescue course, and an escape room paired with a variety of community partners. There will also be a full-scale carbon monoxide safety house, courtesy of the Technical Standards and Safety Authority.

The popular event kicks off Fire Prevention Week Oct. 7 to 13.

This year's theme is look, listen, learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.

“Everyone has a responsibility to protect their family and home from fire," fire Chief Ron Jenkins said, adding prevention is always the best course of action.

LOOK for potential fire hazards around your home and take action to prevent fire from starting. Always stay in the kitchen while cooking. Encourage smokers to smoke outside and extinguish cigarettes in large, deep ashtrays that cannot be knocked over. Check electrical cords for damage, since frays or nicks can expose wires and result in a potential shock or fire hazard.

LISTEN to smoke alarms, making sure everyone knows the sound and can hear them, since the early warning they provide gives you the extra seconds you need to get out safely.

LEARN two ways out of every room. Practise a home fire escape plan with everyone before a fire starts so you and your family can get out quickly.

“Fire and smoke move faster than you," Jenkins said. "There’s no time to figure out how to escape your home after a fire starts."