Photos by SARAH CAMEY/Margate Firefighter Chris Fantazzia demonstrates how to put on a fire suit.
MARGATE – The Margate City Fire Department held its annual open house behind the Margate Public Library, Thursday, June 27. The annual event is a great opportunity for children to learn some basic fire safety techniques, such as stop, drop and roll, and how to crawl low under smoke in the event of a fire. There were plenty of giveaways, including little red fire helmets, bracelets and life-saving information.
Margate City Fire Chief Dan Adams shares some basic fire safety tips with children at the department’s annual open house at the library.
Children were able to climb aboard fire apparatus, ring the fire bell, and try their hand at the water cannon. Firefighter Chris Fantazzia donned fire protection gear and had one of the children try on the protective gear. The excercise teaches children not to fear firefighters in protective gear, and that firefighters are their friend during a fire.
Crawl under the smoke, firefighters advise.
“We do this every year,” Chief Dan Adams said. “It’s a great night for the kids, it’s a great night for the families. Everybody can enjoy the night and meet our firefighters and actually see the equipment we have that people really don’t understand all the different things we do have that really help us to protect them and provide a great service.”
The library hosts open house nights for different organizations through the summer and the Fire Department is the first organization to kick off the summer season.
“We love it,” Adams said.
Stop, drop and roll.
