Ahead of Fire Prevention Week, which will occur October 7-13 this year, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company hosted an open house and public safety day at its main station last weekend. For three hours on Sunday, September 23, the public was invited to meet the company’s members and tour the firehouse; check out apparatus, gear, and equipment used by firefighters; watch demonstrations; and meet with many local first responder agencies.

Four lucky people won smoke detectors, one won a CO detector, and one lucky young man won a ride to school in a fire truck, all raffled by the company during the event.

The company's members offered tours of the main station, answered questions about membership, and led ongoing displays of water use. Near the lower exit of Sandy Hook Elementary School, Engineers Peter Barresi and Erica Knapp0 invited children to use a small hoseline to knock down targets. Nearby, firefighters Tess Vogel and Andy DeWolfe covered another popular station where children were invited to use one of the extrication tools — under supervision — to cut soda cans in half. 

CT DEEP, Connecticut State Police, Danbury Police, Newtown CERT, Newtown Police Department, Newtown Underwater Search And Rescue, and Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps were all represented at the open house. Most groups had vehicles parked for the public the view in addition to members on hand to answer questions.

The SHVFR Ladies Auxiliary also participated in the event, with a table inside the station where members talked about their duties and special events. The group will be having a paper shredding event on October 13, in fact. Funds raised through that event will allow the auxiliary to support the fire company. It will also allow it to make donations to local nonprofit groups during the upcoming year.

Elsewhere inside the fire station, Connecticut Freemasons were creating secure child identification kits for parents;   Sandy Hook Lieutenant Scott Allen invited guests to try on fire gear; Town Clerk Deb Aurelia Halstead registered guests for the town's CodeRED emergency alert system; and fire prevention materials were shared.

The event continued the fire company's 80th anniversary observation.