Emergency Answers: Public Safety Open House is Saturday at Cranberry Fire Station

The Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company will kick off the national Fire Safety Prevention week with a public safety open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the

The event will give residents a chance to explore the township’s fire trucks, police cars and ambulances.

Chris DeCree, the fire company’s fire safety education coordinator, said visitors will be able to look at and handle the department’s equipment, including fire extinguishers. There also will be tours of the fire station, and volunteers will describe how they fight fires.

“We have gear the kids can try on and handouts for adults,” DeCree said.

Members of Cranberry Emergency Medical Services will discuss how they respond to 911 calls and requests for non-emergency medical transportation. Members also will explain the company’s subscription service, according to a Cranberry Township statement.

will be there to discuss law enforcement and to answer residents' questions.

DeCree said there are other activities planned for fire prevention week, Oct. 9-15. Programs include tours of the fire company’s fire safety house.

DeCree said volunteers will use the transportable house – which includes a bedroom, kitchen and living room -- to give fire education programs at , , and St. Killian Parish School next week in Cranberry.

Among the lessons they teach children are how to dial 911, how to stay low during a fire and how to create fire escape plans. DeCree said some of the station’s volunteers even arrange to use their vacation days from their jobs during fire safety week so they can spend time educating children about fire.

Although Decree said the firefighters typically schedule an event for fire prevention week every year, this is the first time they’ve had an open house. It also is the first time the fire company has invited the police and EMS workers to join them.

“It’s not just for fire, it’s public safety,” he said. “Police and ambulance also go to fire calls. We work together as a safety department,” he said.