Fire district events to focus on teaching children safety

For National Fire Prevention Week, the Hampshire Fire Protection District will host its eighth annual Drawn Down Dance and Silent Auction on Saturday. It will follow a week of activities with children preschool to fifth grade. This year's theme is "Practice Your Escape Plan."

This year's program will have children from preschool to fourth grade visiting the fire department to participate in several activities.

The children will learn about stop, drop and roll, how to call 911, how to escape a burning home through use of the safety house, as well as smoke detector maintenance. New this year is home hazard recognition through use of a model home showing potential hazards around the house.

The fifth-graders will witness a fire demonstration at the station and see how quickly a fire can spread. Children will receive fire safety materials to take home.

Children will be invited to take part in a coloring contest and home escape plan contest. There will be one winner from each grade from preschool to third grade from Hampshire Elementary School, Gary Wright Elementary School, St. Charles Borromeo School, Lil' Wonder's Development Center and Little People Playtime. The winners will be recognized at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Hampshire Fire Station.

For those over age 21, join in the annual Draw Down Dance and Silent Auction from 6:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday at the fire station, 202 Washington Ave. Tickets for the draw down are being sold by department members for $50 each, with only 250 tickets being sold; the winner need not be present. Cost for the dance is $10 per couple. Proceeds will be used to purchase equipment.

For details about the fire district, visit www.hampshirefire.org.