The Third Annual Hopewell Valley Fire Safety Open House — slated for Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Woosley Park, Hopewell — will offer safety lessons for the whole family.
The open house will feature fire, EMS and Haz-Mat demonstrations by human and K-9 first responders and a chance to for everyone to try out the gear and equipment used by firefighters.
The event ties in to National Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme is “Every Second Counts. Plan 2 Ways Out.” Children and families can brainstorm two ways out of every room by tackling a house-shaped hay bale maze.
“We will have a fire safety hay bale maze — a maze that looks like a house with a kitchen, bedroom and living room — to allow families to have a fun, interactive way to brainstorm two ways out of each room,” Hopewell Valley Emergency Services specialist Ashley Coble said.
The maze is joint project of HVES and The Hopewell Valley Arts Council, which will also be holding its Amazing Pumpkin Carve event.
HVES personnel and volunteer firefighters and EMTs from the volunteer units — Hopewell Fire Department & Emergency Medical Unit, Pennington Fire Company, Pennington First Aid, and Union Fire Company & Rescue Squad — will be on hand to advise families on creating actual evacuation plans.
They will also be demonstrating the skills they use to save lives, and will offer attendees a chance to put on their gear, tour their trucks and try their hand at using extrication tools, fire hoses and fire extinguishers.
Seniors can get fire and fall prevention and pharmaceutical safety tips through the new Mercer County Older Adults Fire Safety Council, which will be launched at the event. The program is designed to provide older residents with information and skills pertaining to fire safety, fall prevention and pharmaceutical safety and disposal.
Anyone seeking information on safety for older adults, or who would like a Mercer County Older Adults Fire Safety Council member to speak or provide information to their group, should call the Mercer County Aging and Disability Resource Center at 609-989-6661 or email adrc@mercercounty.org.
This year’s event retains popular features from last year, including food trucks, music and a demonstration by the Trenton Police K-9 team. The police dogs will be joined this year by fire and arson dogs from the state fire marshal’s office who are trained to sniff out substances used to start fires.
(Courtesy the Hopewell Fire Department Facebook page.),
