public safety open house

On Sunday, Oct. 12, 1 to 4 p.m., in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week, the Edina Fire Department will hold its 2008 annual Open House at the newly constructed Fire Station No. 1, 6250 Tracy Ave.

It will be an opportunity for Edina residents to see the type of work firefighter/paramedics do to protect the community up-close through a series of interactive demonstrations and give the Fire Department the opportunity to say thank you for the community support they receive throughout the year. It will also be the first opportunity to tour the newly constructed Fire Station No. 1, which officially opened in July.

In addition to tours offered throughout the afternoon, a variety of interactive demonstrations will show children and adults what its like to be a firefighter/paramedic. Kids will be able to put on a firefighters uniform and put out a real fire; the Fire Department’s large trucks and ambulances will be on hand and open for a peak inside; the special operations team will demonstrate a car crash rescue from the time of dispatch through the actual extrication of passengers; and much of the Department’s “latest and greatest” equipment will be on display. Sparky, the Fire Department’s Dalmatian mascot, will also be “sniffing” around the station.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is ‘Prevent Home Fires,’ and it’s important to get the message across that the true cause of almost every fire is people -- men, women and children. We all need to be responsible for our own actions.

For more information on the Open House, contact the Edina Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau at 952-826-0339.

For more information on Fire Prevention Week, visit www.firepreventionweek.org.