Fire prevention week begins Monday

Families will get a chance to ride on the fire trucks during the fire department open house Oct. 10. Fire prevention classes are being provided in area schools this week by the fire department.

City firefighters will promote fire prevention and safety during a yearly observance that officially begins Monday.

The Mountain Home Fire Department is joining forces with stations across the United States to celebrate National Fire Prevention Week.

This year's Fire Prevention Week observance will culminate with the department's annual open house, which will run from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 10.

During the evening, the department will give children and adults a chance to ride the fire trucks on brief trips through town, complete with sirens blazing and lights flashing.

The longest running public health and safety observance on record, the event commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that killed more than 250 people and left more than 100,000 others homeless, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

This year's event focuses on the theme, "Let's Get Cookin' With Fire Safety." Kitchen fires are a leading cause of injuries in house fires, said Brian Reed from the MHPD.

City fire crews started their annual fire prevention effort by meeting with students in local area schools.

During their briefings with students, firefighters will don their gear to give these children a firsthand look at how these rescuers will look if they have to enter a burning home.

Children can get easily scared if they see a firefighters in all of their gear and become equally intimidated by all of the sounds this equipment makes, Reed said. Giving these youngsters a chance to see all of it in a classroom setting helps calm their fears "so they're not afraid if a firefighter shows up at their house."

Reaching out to children in the local area remains a vital part of promoting fire safety in homes across Mountain Home, Reed added. It encourages these youngsters to take an active role in fire safety by encouraging their families to check their smoke detectors on a regular basis and to develop a fire escape plan for their home and to test those plans during fire drills.

Meanwhile, members from the city fire department and other local agencies will offer a number of handouts for children, including fire helmets and badges. Free refreshments will also be available.

Also scheduled to appear that evening include Sparky the fire dog, Eddie the Eagle firearms safety mascot and the Drug Abuse Resistance Education car.

Record-shattering crowds packed into the city's main fire station to enjoy an evening of fun during an open house Thursday evening.

The turnout during the station's open house in 2012 shattered attendance numbers from previous years, said Mountain Home Fire Chief Alan Bermensolo. The station had more than 2,000 people attend the open house last October, including roughly 1,600 children.

"This thing keeps growing, and we're happy to keep doing it for the community, Bermensolo said. "We really appreciate how the public comes out and supports this event."