Families from across the community gathered on Oct. 17 as the North Bellmore Fire Department held its annual Fire Prevention Day — an event dedicated to teaching vital safety tips and home protection practices designed to keep residents safe year-round.
The department not only hosted the event but also welcomed representatives from PSEG Long Island, the New York State Police, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, and the county fire marshal’s K-9 unit. Each organization shared safety tips, distributed educational materials and offered fun giveaways for children.
Although the event was geared toward young children, valuable safety information was available for all ages. The department distributed free Vials of Life to every attendee — an important resource that helps first responders access critical medical information during emergencies.
Andrew Grob, who attended the event to watch his grandson participate in a vehicle emergency demonstration, said he had never considered keeping a Vial of Life at home but was glad to take one after learning about its importance.
“Just leave it handy in case you have to go to the hospital,” he said. “You don’t have to worry — just grab this thing and it has all your data.”
Younger visitors enjoyed plenty of fun activities, including a bounce house, a water game, candy, coloring books and plastic firefighter helmets. The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office also provided children with identification cards.
In addition to distributing safety materials, PSEG Long Island, the K-9 unit and the fire department performed demonstrations related to their work and shared procedures that families could apply at home.
Chief Joseph Capuano, who has been with the North Bellmore Fire Department for 15 years, said he has been attending Fire Prevention Day since childhood.
“We open up so the kids can learn who to call and who to trust when there is an emergency,” he said.
Capuano emphasized the importance of emergency preparedness and safety by ensuring that every home is equipped with both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. He explained that each household should have at least two carbon monoxide detectors, and every bedroom should be equipped with a smoke detector — ideally connected to an alarm system for added safety.
“I would love to see [carbon monoxide detectors] increase, and planning for if there is a fire, because it seems that sometimes people lose their minds and there’s no escape route, there’s no meeting place,” Capuano said.
