Johnston Fire Department Hosts Open House, Celebrates National Fire Prevention Week

Fire Prevention Week should be every week, if you ask Johnston Fire Chief Jim Krohse.

The Johnston Fire Department regularly visits schools, child-care centers, businesses and others in the community to spread tips on fire safety, but the second week of October is designated National Fire Prevention Week.

"We have demonstrations at the state and some that we go to schools," Krohse said of the busy weeks during and around fire prevention week.

Each demonstration is tailored to specific age groups.

"With the littlest ones, we'll do stop, drop and roll, talk about not playing with fire, we try to pattern it to the group," he said. "Most of them want to see the engine and see the firefighters put on their uniforms. When they get a little older, we conduct fire exit drills for the home."

Krohse said the point of each demonstration is to get students to talk to their parents at home.

"Every family should identify a spot to meet in the case of a fire," Krohse said. "If the fire alarm goes off, they exit and meet at that location."

For adults, Krohse tries to emphasize checking smoke detectors.

"If you have a battery-operated detector, change it every year," he said. "Even new hardwired smoke detectors have battery backups that need to be changed annually. It's so if there is a power loss in your house, you're protected by the battery."

The department will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the fire station.

The department will distribute fire prevention literature and plastic fire helmets.

Families can practice stop, drop and roll on wrestling mats at the station or practice spraying out a mock house fire.