Southwest Greensburg Fire Department to host Halloween Parade

October has been a month of community engagement for the Southwest Greensburg Fire Department, and it will culminate with their annual Halloween Parade on Thursday, Oct. 31.

"We encourage all members of the community to join in on the fun and come out to trick-or-treat with their families," said Southwest Greensburg Fire Chief Bill Wright Jr. "It's a great opportunity for us to connect with our neighbors, and our firefighters are always looking forward to interacting with the community."

Registration begins at 5 p.m. at Amos K. Hutchinson Elementary School, 801 Welty Street. The parade starts at 5:30 p.m. and will follow the normal route through the borough.

At the end of the parade, Southwest Greensburg Fire Department volunteer firefighters will distribute treat bags to all registered participants at the fire station located at 401 Guthrie Street.

Borough trick-or-treating will begin after the parade from 6 to 8 p.m. During that time, trick-or-treaters and their families are encouraged to stop by the Southwest Greensburg Fire Department.

The Southwest Greensburg Fire Department will have a booth set up outside the station for anyone interested in volunteering as a firefighter, live-in, or member under 18.

Getting Out in the Community for Fire Prevention Week

On Oct. 7, members of the fire department participated in their annual Fire Prevention Program at Amos K. Hutchinson Elementary School. The event allowed students to learn valuable fire prevention practices and interact with members of the Southwest Greensburg, South Greensburg, Greensburg #3, Mutual Aid EMS, and Southwest Greensburg Police Department.

Southwest Greensburg also participated in the 28th annual Hempfield Greensburg Fire Prevention Night on Oct. 8 at the Westmoreland Mall.

Both the program at Hutchinson and Fire Prevention Night were part of the larger Fire Prevention Week, which took place from Oct. 6-12. As part of this effort, the Southwest Greensburg Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) — the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for over 100 years — to promote this year's campaign, "Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work for You!" The campaign aims to educate everyone about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home.

“Fire Prevention Week is one of our favorite events of the year,” said Southwest Greensburg Fire Chief Bill Wright Jr. “It's a wonderful opportunity for us to not only teach the kids at Hutchinson about fire safety and prevention, but also to connect with the younger members of our community.”

Smoke alarms are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting you and your loved ones from the dangers of fire, but having working smoke alarms in the home can make all the difference. Roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Southwest Greensburg Fire Department offers these key smoke alarm safety tips and guidelines:

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area (like a hallway), and on each level (including the basement) of the home.
• Make sure smoke alarms meet the needs of all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button.
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old.

While smoke alarms are the first line of defense in a home fire, the community counts on volunteers of Southwest Greensburg Fire Department to keep them safe. That is why Southwest Greensburg is actively recruiting members of the community to become volunteer firefighters to continue the department's tradition of providing excellent fire protection and emergency services to the community.

To learn more about ways you can help your community as a volunteer, visit: www.SWGreensburgFirefighter.org.