Medina FD open house gives plenty of tips for fire prevention
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Medina Fire Department treated the community to fun and many tips for preventing fires during an open house today, which is the start of National Fire Safety Week.
The top photo shows Shalin Mack, 5, of Medina aiming water at targets with help from Medina firefighter Jeff Tuohey.
Dale Heiser from the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control brought a trailer to Medina to show some common household fire hazards. Some lighters are made to look like toys, which can be an attraction for children and lead to accidental fires, Heiser said.
He had a hair dryer in a sink (with no water). He warns people, especially college students, to keep hair dryers and curling irons away from sinks.
He also showed extension cords that are intended to be temporary, but are used 24-7 in some households. Those cords can cause fires.
The stove also has a pot with the handle within reach of children. Heiser urges people to turn the pots so the handles can’t be easily grabbed by kids.
Dale Heiser also simulated smoke in the trailer, and showed people how smoke rises. That’s why they should get low – “Stay Low and Go!” – during a fire.
Chad Kenward, a Medina police officer and member of the Orleans County Multi-Agency SWAT Team, took questions from the public about the SWAT team and its vehicle.
The open house included New York State Police “seat belt convincer,” an interactive ride allows people to experience a simulated vehicle crash and gain an appreciation for why seat belts matter.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office “Safe Child” program, where children can be finger printed, and have their child safety seats checked for proper installation, also was available.
Mark Watts and his wife Denise are pictured in a 1933 fire truck that was used by the Medina Fire Department until 1972, when it was taken out of service. The truck was purchased by Joe Conley and he owned it until Watts bought it in 2007.
The truck had been out of the public eye since the 1970s, until Watts had it in the 2009 Memorial Day parade. The truck has been a regular in that parade, plus the Lyndonville Fourth of July parade, in recent years.
Caleb Fisher, 2, gets behind the wheel of the 1933 fire truck with his mother Audra next to him. Caleb’s father Adam Fisher is an EMT with COVA and a firefighter with the Barre Volunteer Fire Company.
