October is Fire Prevention Awareness Month, and families explored fire trucks and were offered lifesaving tips at the John J. Byrne Community Center during the Uniondale Fire Departments annual Fire Prevention Open House last Saturday.
The event, concluding National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 5-11, featured giveaways, food and lifesaving lessons. Firefighters spoke with residents about escape planning and home safety. The open house was intended to build trust with the community while teaching lifesaving lessons.
This years Fire Prevention Week theme was Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.
During the annual open house, visitors had a chance to get a taste of Doms Chicken Finger Truck – selling finger food – and ice cream. Kids played on the inflatable slide, despite the nor’easter hitting New York and the surrounding region over the weekend, the turnout was a success.
Uniondale firefighters showed visitors a fire truck and engine, and their equipment. When a fire breaks out and they get a call, firefighters must put on more than 40 pounds of protective clothing — in under two minutes, illustrating the urgency of their work.
During fire prevention week Fire Commissioner Anthony Lebron, who has served for 28 years, explained that modern homes pose new challenges.
“People plug in so many things now that houses can get overloaded,” he said. “The old wiring can’t always handle the newer technology — that’s when you see more electrical fires.”
Lebron added that there has not been any fire calls in a few months but the department often assists neighboring towns, including East Meadow, Hempstead and Bellmore especially during colder months when oil burners and heaters start running.
“Sometimes the older homes just can’t handle the power draw,” he said.
Firefighter Jonathan Broome, who also serves in the New York City Fire Department, said the city brings its own hazards.
“The biggest issue right now is lithium battery fires,” Broome said. “Once one cell ignites, it spreads fast, even if you pour water. We have to seal the batteries in special containers to stop reignition.
The batteries are just poorly made – they’re just randomly sparking,” he continued.
Despite the dangers, each firefighter said the work is worth it, Jessica Ellerbe said.
“You see new people come in, you watch them grow,” Ellberbe continued. “Some of them started out watching us at events like this — and now they’re wearing the gear themselves.”
