Fire Open House huge success

The Barrhead Fire Services Open House was the hot place to be last week, as families flocked in great numbers for a night of fire education, fun activities, a free dinner, and prizes.

The open house started at 5:30 p.m. and ran until 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11. Normally the event brings about 300-350 people, however this year those numbers skyrocketed to what the department believes to be about 550.

Upon entering the Barrhead Fire Department, children were given goody bags to fill with various items. There were coloured pencils, fire colouring books, and fun stickers. Even bright red plastic firefighter helmets.

Families were invited to enjoy free hot dogs, hamburgers and pop, which turned out to be a popular dinner option in Barrhead. After about 40 minutes food supplies were almost out. Two more trips to the grocery store for hot dogs and hamburgers were needed. When one barbecue didn’t cut it, the department brought in two more for backup.

Firemen were participating in constant interviews, but not with the media. Children had an endless list of questions, their curiosity never running out as they excitedly filled their minds with new knowledge. What do firefighters wear to a fire? How fast do the trucks drive? Can they try on a firefighter helmet? What are certain tools used for?

The department also had a wooden “house on fire” activity set up for any child hoping to unleash their inner firefighter. Armed with hoses, the kids could blast a jet stream of water at flame-painted windows, which would open when hit with a precise shot.

Perhaps more exciting for the kids, and parents too, were the demonstrations going on outside. It isn’t every day you get to watch a car burst into flames, and the open house was one of those days.

An eager crowd gathered and watched as the flames of an old car grew larger.

“Should we put it out now?” Fire chief John Whittaker asked the crowd every minute or so.

He repeatedly received a very loud “NO!”

When the windows were blown out and the flames rising high, Whittaker gave his team the go ahead. The crowd began to count how long it took for the firefighters to extinguish the flames, their time coming in at just under one minute.

Adding to the excitement, the department demonstrated a vehicle extraction as well.

Back inside and upstairs, families could watch a fire safety video. The short film went over the importance of a three-minute evacuation plan, and having two designated ways out in case one exit was unsafe.

When the night neared its end, it was time to draw for prizes. The department had everything from a stuffed Sparky doll to a power drill, although the most exciting prize was saved for last.

Every year one lucky student gets a ride to school in a fire truck. This year Kyle Kleinfeldt was the winner of breakfast with Whittaker and a stylish ride in the morning.

“He was quite impressed with the whole thing,” said Whittaker, who delivered the prize to Kleinfeldt last Thursday. “Kids love that kind of thing.”

Students also had the opportunity to win different types of iPods for submitting a fire escape plan of their home. Winners will be announced this week after the department has had the opportunity to finish visiting the rest of the schools.

After the open house, Whittaker said he hopes the public walked away with more awareness of fire prevention and safety, particularly about new housing construction. Newer houses are built much lighter and airtight than older houses, causing them to burn a lot quicker.

With Christmas not too far away, Whittaker also stressed the importance of fire safety when in the presence of a Christmas tree.

“Scotch pines can put a room completely into flames in seconds,” explained Whittaker. “We always get our people coming right away, but it’s scary how fast things can happen.”

Whittaker said he and the department have been receiving really positive feedback from the community. Although this year was the most successful the open house has ever been, the department already has plans to go even farther next time. Whittaker said they learned a lot from having so many people show up.

“We certainly raised the bar for ourselves this year,” said Whittaker. “But next year we’re going to be bigger and better than ever. We’re always looking to trump ourselves.”