The North Madison Volunteer Fire Company will hold its annual open house on Sunday, October 15 from 11AM to 2PM, at the end of Fire Prevention Week. The all-volunteer department provides a full range of fire, rescue, and EMS first-responder services to all of Madison north of The Pines, and works closely with its downtown sister department, Madison Hose Company #1, as well as the Madison Police Department and Madison EMS, to provide a high level of public safety to the community. Roughly 50 North Madison company volunteers respond to just over 400 calls per year.

The department’s annual open house will include a number of fun activities for the family, including a chance for kids to run the hose and put water on a simulated fire, and for adults to practice with fire extinguishers. “The weather forecast for next weekend looks terrific,” observes Company President Paul Harris, “and we hope for a great turnout. We can answer any questions you have about the department, and even take a membership application or a donation.” While the fire trucks and nearly all of the company’s firefighting and EMS equipment are paid for by town funds, the department is not a town agency, and relies on donations to support a number of its activities. The trucks and all of the department’s equipment will be available for inspection by visitors, and company members will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate some of the gear carried on the trucks.

This year’s national Fire Prevention Week theme is “Every Second Counts – Plan 2 Ways Out.” At about 1:30 p.m., the fire company will host a live burn in a simulated room of a house, to demonstrate just how quickly a fire can spread indoors. “In a house fire, the focus has to be on getting out – not on retrieving your cell phone or laptop, or grabbing the checkbook, but getting out. Today’s synthetic furniture components burn very hot and very fast,” notes fire chief Dave Cone, “and running back in, or delaying exiting even briefly, can be fatal.” Courtesy of the Branford Fire Department, a fire safety trailer will be on hand to allow for safe practice of some key fire survival techniques. A number of brochures and posters will also be available for visitors to take home.