Check Out The Millburn Fire Department Saturday

MILLBURN, NJ - Residents who want a chance to touch-a-truck and experience what it is like to fight fires without risking their lives can do so at the Millburn Fire Department's 21st Annual Open House on Saturday, Oct. 13.

Free and open to the public, the Open House will be held at the Fire Department's headquarters on Essex Street and will coincide with the end of Fire Prevention Week, a national observance to promote fire prevention awareness and safety.

At the Open House, which will be held from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., township residents will have a chance to see firefighting equipment and educational demonstrations, and learn more about how our community's hard-working firefighters do their jobs.

"We'll have firefighters in full gear demonstrating how they search a smoke-filled building," said Captain Adam Brenner, the Department's Training Officer. "Attendees will also get a chance to see the inside of a fire engine, and view a demonstration of the Jaws of Life, which are used to help extract people quickly and safely from their cars in the event of an accident."

A key theme of the Open House is fire prevention and safety. Firefighters will be available to answer questions and reinforce important safety recommendations, such as the need to have working smoke detectors on every floor of a home or building. "This summer, ten children tragically died in an apartment fire in Chicago, and it was revealed that the smoke detector did not have a working battery," explained Captain Brenner. "And last year in the Bronx, twelve people perished in a fire, fueled by a door that was left open after a fire began on a stove. At these community events, we educate residents about safety tips, such as the importance of closing doors to prevent the spread of fire."

"Started in 1925 by President Calvin Coolidge, Fire Prevention Week is the longest-running public health observance in the country," added Millburn Fire Chief Robert Echavarria. "On Oct. 13, we look forward to meeting our community residents and helping raise awareness to keep them, their homes, and their families safe."

The Fire Department will also host its annual Halloween Festival on Wednesday, Oct. 31 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in its rear parking lot. For more information, call the Millburn Fire Department, at (973) 564-7035.

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Thanks for reading! Have a news tip you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a press release you would like to submit or a correction you'd like to request? Send an email to russ.crespolini@patch.com