The Bellevue Fire Department will celebrate Fire Prevention Week with its popular open houses on Saturday.
As usual during the annual kickoff event to national Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 6-12), all nine Bellevue fire stations will be open to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. During Fire Prevention Week, firefighters also will visit schools and do readings at libraries.
The following stations will feature refreshments and special activities: Station 1 (766 Bellevue Way SE, Downtown/West Bellevue); Station 2 (2802 148th Ave. SE, Eastgate/Lake Hills/West Lake Sammamish); Station 3 (16100 NE Eighth St., Crossroads/Northeast Bellevue); Station 5 (9621 NE 24th St., Clyde Hill); Station 8 (5701 Lakemont Blvd. SE, Eastgate/Cougar Mountain); and Station 9 (12412 Newcastle Way, Newcastle/Newport Hills).
A number of activities also are scheduled at the fire stations.
Stove-top fire road show (Stations 1, 2, 3, 9): Firefighters and fire prevention officers will stop by the four stations and provide a realistic stove-top fire display and demonstrate how to extinguish the fires.
Accessible activities (Station 2): Students in the Occupational Life Skills program at Bellevue College will be on hand to help facilitate activities that are accessible to people with disabilities. The students and others will be available to answer questions about special accommodations.
Child safety house trailer (Station 3): Children can learn about kitchen and home fire safety and awareness by sitting inside a special trailer and experiencing a room filling with non-toxic smoke (the smoke machines use peanut oil).
Fire extinguisher demonstrations (all stations): Each of the featured stations will have several fire extinguishers available for both adults and children to handle. No need for gear; these fires are of the painted-wood variety.
Try on firefighter gear (Stations 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9): Have you ever wanted to know what it feels like to put on the helmet, coat and other “bunker” gear firefighters wear when battling a blaze? Each featured station will have several sets of real bunker gear for adults and children to try on.
SWAT vehicle (Stations 1, 2, 3): Meet Bellevue Police SWAT officers and see the their Bear Cat armored vehicle as it travels to three stations.
