Spray Water from a Fire House: Snohomish County Fire District 1 to Hold Open House

Snohomish County Fire District 1 will kick off Fire Prevention Month with an open house for the public on Saturday, Oct. 5. 

The open house will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at the Fire District 1 Training Tower (near Mariner High School), 12425 Meridian Ave. S, Everett. Guests at the open house can:

• Meet firefighters, see a fire engine up close and spray water from a fire hose.
• Tour the training tower and get tips on how to create a fire escape map for your home.
• Watch firefighting students from Everett Community College as they conduct a drill.
• Try the 9-1-1 call simulator and learn what information will help when you place an emergency call.
• Spin the Wheel of Safety to test your injury prevention knowledge.
• Complete the Fire Safety Adventure game and win a prize.

The open house will include activities focusing on preventing kitchen fires, this year’s Fire Prevention Month theme.

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Two of every five home fires begin in the kitchen—more than any other place in the home. Cooking fires are also the leading cause of home fire-related injuries.

"Often when we're called to a fire that started in the kitchen, the residents tell us that they only left the kitchen for a few minutes," Fire Chief Ed Widdis said. "Sadly, that's all it takes for a dangerous fire to start. We hope that Fire Prevention Week will help us reach folks in the community before they've suffered a damaging lesson."

Fire District 1 offers these safety tips to prevent kitchen fires:

·         Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, broiling, or boiling food.

·         If you must leave the room, even for a short period of time, turn off the stove.

·         When you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.

·         If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible. Keep children and pets at least three away from the stove.

·         When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting sleeves.

·         Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper and plastic bags, towels, and anything else that can burn, away from your stovetop.

·         Clean up food and grease from burners and stovetops.

More safety tips and activity sheets for children are available at Fire District 1’s website: www.firedistrict1.org.

Fire District 1 is the largest provider of fire and emergency medical services in Snohomish County, with full-time staffing at 12 fire stations. The department serves nearly 200,000 residents in unincorporated south Snohomish County, Brier, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Woodway.