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Poland Fire Station 91 hosts open house event
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Neighbors | Submitted.A young firefighter to be looked at a collage of pictures during the open house event put on by the Poland Fire Department.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Poland firefighter John Gulgas helped a young boy extinguish an imaginary fire during the open house event.
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Neighbors | Submitted.A local resident got a hands-on demonstration on how to extinguish a fire from Poland firefighter Robert Sanchez.
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Neighbors | Submitted.Joe Ohr and his daughter Madeline gave Poland Fire Department mascot Blaze and high five during the station's open house event.
By TIM CLEVELAND
Poland Fire Station 91, located at 111 S. Main Street, hosted an open house event for the seventh consecutive year, giving area residents an inside view of how the station works as well as educational activities.
The three-hour event featured hot dogs, chips, cookies and drinks. For children, the activities included education about fire safety, learn to stop, drop and roll; dress up like firefighters and squirt water; meet the firefighters; book mobile and puzzle center; take a picture with stand up cut-outs of firefighters and fire trucks and the opportunity to climb on the fire trucks. For adults, they were able to participate in a fire extinguisher demonstration and simulation of kitchen fires and view the fire trucks.
Approximately 250-300 people attended the event.
“It was started to get the fire prevention awareness/fire safety out to the general public in Poland and to make our youth as well as adults thinking more about how to keep their homes and community safe,” station fire prevention officer Bill O’Hara said. “Fire prevention is everyone’s job. It isn’t just for the children, it is for everyone. Us as adults need to keep our families and homes safe.”
O’Hara has been a firefighter for 44 years. He began his career at the Austintown Fire Department and rose to the position of assistant chief before retiring after 35 years of service to the Austintown community.
“Our fire district holds the annual fire prevention event every year in October,” O’Hara said. “We will alternate station locations so everyone has the opportunity to visit a different station every year.”
O’Hara said the event was well-received by the community.
“We had a positive response from the public who attended,” he said. “They appreciated all the efforts of the firefighter men and women involved. They were pleased with all the activities available for everyone to take part in. A lunch with hot dogs, chips, cookies and drink were available to everyone who attended which was well received.”