It's all about safety at the EMFD

Local volunteers host Fire Prevention Open House Prevention Day

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The East Meadow Fire Department hosted its annual Fire Prevention Open House at its fire station headquarters on East Meadow Avenue last Sunday, Oct. 12.

The annual event serves multiple purposes. It educates community members about safety with live fire demonstrations, vehicle extrications and informational handouts, while providing residents the opportunity to meet their local firefighters, who also live in the community.

It also gives residents interested in joining fire service an opportunity to learn more about the department. For younger community members, there was games and activities, like fire truck rides and an appearance by Smokey the Bear.

Fire Prevention week is recognized annually by fire departments across the nation in early October, in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which, in 1871, burned down 16 towns — killing 1,152 people and scorching 1.2 million acres of land.

The annual week of fire safety began in 1922, making it the longest running public health and safety observance on record.