Every day, thousands of vehicles and folks on the front end of the Fairfield Hills trail network trundle past the Newtown ambulance headquarters — home to the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps (NVAC).

But unless responders are in the process of rolling out or coming back from a call, the massive brick building with its high-pillared front entrance and numerous glass enclosed garage bays can look pretty tranquil. So, what goes on beyond those front doors?

Those inclined to wonder are invited to learn about what local ambulance volunteers do, how they use their array of life-saving equipment, and explore the vehicles they use to respond when someone calls for help with a medical emergency.

On Sunday, July 16 from 11 am to 3 pm, the community is invited to the ambulance headquarters for a combination open house and celebration, in part, recognizing the NVAC as one of the last all-volunteer emergency medical organizations in Connecticut.

The free public event, happening inside the bays rain or shine, will feature food trucks — 900 Degrees Pizza, the Brazilian Boys BBQ, and Ice Cream Emergency — that will be ready to serve in excess of 100+ people.

NVAC Public Information Specialist Bridget Nicholson said there will be a hospitality table out front to greet everyone, offering details on NVAC’s EMT program and their next EMT certification class, which will run in September. The NVAC is currently recruiting EMTs and trainees to volunteer in Newtown, once the September class and certifications have been completed.

The corps is also seeking volunteers for other duties not involving patient or emergency call interaction. Details on these non-responding positions will also be available at the open house event.

Members will also be leading guided tours of the facility, and instructors including former long-time Chief Liz Cain will run a community CPR class for friends and family from 1-2 pm in the air-conditioned training room.

The American Heart Association, which named Newtown a “Heart Safe Community” following a similar town-wide training day in 2009, says the Family & Friends CPR Course teaches the lifesaving skills of adult Hands-Only CPR, adult CPR with breaths, child CPR with breaths, adult and child AED use, infant CPR, and mild and severe airway block for adults, children, and infants.

This is not certified training with certification but simply a hands-on demo so anyone could jump into action if a friend or family member needed help.

According to the CDC, about seven in ten of cardiac emergencies happen at home, and sadly, about nine in ten people who have cardiac arrest outside the hospital die. But, if CPR is performed in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, it can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.

Throughout the event, guests can chat, relax and enjoy refreshments at tables across the bay floor, along with light DJ music provided by event MC and Newtown Bee Editor John Voket.

Founded in 1941, the NVAC is administered by the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Association — a private nonprofit organization comprised of approximately 15 volunteer trustees who manage the administrative/financial side of running Newtown Ambulance.

The Corps is made up of approximately 60 trained emergency medical technicians (EMTs), who volunteer their time to help others in their community. These members range in age from high school to retirees.

These volunteers cover an area of over 60 square miles. The NVAC is one of the most active volunteer EMS providers in the region with a volume of over 2,500 calls and 20,000 volunteer hours logged per year.

In October of 2014 the Corps moved from 77 Main Street to its present location at 6 Washington Circle, across from the Reed School.

Learn more by visiting newtown-ambulance.org — or following the NVAC on Facebook.