Cary firefighters hold annual open house

National Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 7-13.

The Cary Fire Protection District will host its annual open house on from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Headquarters Station No. 1, 400 Cary-Algonquin Road.

All of the department's fire trucks, ambulances, and specialized equipment will be displayed.

During the open house the Cary-Grove Lions Club will be making a monetary donation to CFPD. This donation will be used to upgrade the basic life support, or BLS, medical equipment for the Engine at Station 2.

CFPD will purchase advanced life support, or ALS, medical equipment that will allow firefighters to perform all the same medical procedures as any CFPD ambulance, except transport the patient to the hospital.

Currently, CFPD operates three ALS ambulances, one ALS engine, one BLS engine, and one BLS command vehicle.

Members of the Cary-Grove Lions Club will make a presentation to CFPD at 7 p.m.

Immediately following the presentation there will be a new demonstration showing residents how a fire spreads within a house.

To do this CFPD has partnered with the National Fire Sprinkler Association-Northern Illinois chapter to build two side-by-side simulated houses.

One of the houses will have a residential sprinkler system installed in it and the other will not. A fire will be ignited simultaneously in both rooms.

Spectators will be able to view how a fast a fire travels, how long it takes a smoke detector to activate, how high the temperatures will get the fire grows, and to see firsthand the differences between a residence protected by sprinklers on how a fire how well as see what the.

The national theme for 2007 is "Practice your escape plan." Information on how to create and practice escape routes will be available.

Children also will be able to meet Firepup from the National Fire Safety Council.

Plan on coming out to meet the firefighters, tour the station, and have some fun while learning about fire safety.