Colwood Fire Rescue welcoming community back to fire hall Sept. 25

Colwood Fire Rescue is gearing up to welcome the community they serve into their home base later this month with a public open house.

Scheduled for Sept. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the department’s Metchosin Road fire hall will play host to a ton of activities to provide fun and important learning opportunities for people of all ages.

“It’s a really great event to showcase what Colwood Fire does in the community,” said Lt. Kyle Smith. “We have a lot of different stations and events where kids can learn how to use a fire extinguisher, they can see how our auto extrication, Jaws of Life kind of thing works.”

The fire extinguisher training is one of the most important features of the event, Smith said, as most people see fire extinguishers on a daily basis but very few have ever actually used one before.

Overall, the event is intended to be a mixture of fun and community bonding, as well as fire safety education. Beyond the fire extinguisher training, the open house will also feature a FireSmart booth, emergency preparedness information, and car seat installation demonstrations.

On the fun side of things, it will also feature fire hose demos, firefighter fitness competitions, and tours of the Colwood Firefighters Museum. A barbecue will also be set up, with donations going to the Colwood Volunteer Firefighters Association to support their community initiatives.

“I think it’s really important because we are a part of the community … and being able to have people into the station so they get to see the fire hall and learn what it does for the community, I think it is a really important thing,” said Smith. “I think it’s especially important for young kids to see us so they know we are friends who are there to help them.”

Parking is expected to be limited at the fire hall during the open house, so those planning to attend should avoid arriving by car if possible, and expect to have to park some distance away if driving.

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