The first weekend of October is traditionally the time for Homewood Fire Department’s annual open house, set to coincide with Fire Safety Month and Fire Safety Week (Oct. 4-10 this year), but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event is going online.
HFD staff member Megan Tipton said the event will be something kids and families can participate in, much like the traditional open house, with activities designed to educate about fire safety.
- Ask A [email protected]. Kids can email questions, and Tipton will videotape firefighters answering them. The deadline for those questions is Sept. 30.
- Fire safety messages chalk talk. Photos of kids’ fire safety messages in sidewalk chalk can also be submitted to [email protected]. The deadline is Oct. 9.
- An escape plan video challenge. Tipton said this is “the really big activity” of the week. It involves families planning and practicing their home escape plan. It is a five-day event. A challenge will be published each day of the week starting Oct. 5. Families will then video themselves completing the challenge and submit it to HFD. Any family who completes all five challenges and sends a video each of the five days, will be entered in a drawing to have a pizza dinner delivered to their home by the Homewood Fire Department. This is open to Homewood residents.
Additional details about the activities can be found at the open house website, that includes virtual versions of open house activities like tours of the fire station, an ambulance and two types of fire trucks.
The site also includes links to activities and information about fire safety with a quiz so kids can test their knowledge.
