Urbandale Fire Department Hosts Open House, Celebrates National Fire Prevention Week

You don't really need an excuse to prepare your household when it comes to fire prevention.

But this week is surely the best excuse possible - it's National Fire Prevention Week.

To celebrate, the Urbandale Fire Department is busy hosting presentations for local schools, child-care centers and Boy Scout troops.

Urbandale Fire Marshall Jon Rech said the department will host an open house for the public on Saturday.

"The point of the open house is to get people to the fire department to see who we are and what we're all about," he said. "Our approach is we are here for more than just when you're having a bad day. There is a lot of fire prevention education available."

The Urbandale department offers fire extinguisher training, workplace safety training, and even car-seat installation training for residents, businesses and others.

For the past two week, the department has worked to reach all 3,953 kindergarten through fifth-grade students in Urbandale.

"Essentially, we've given all kindergarten to fifth-grade students a home safety checklist," Rech said. "It's designed to do with mom and dad at home. It's to remind them of the things they should have in their home to better prepare in case of a fire."

This year's National Fire Prevention theme is "Have Two Ways Out."

"It's critical this day and age," Rech said of having more than one plan to escape a house fire. "Fires burn hotter and faster, so there really is less time to get out. The more prepared and ready they are to react, the better off they are going to be."

Saturday's open house runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Urbandale Fire Station No. 41, 7100 Douglas Ave.

Stop by to learn more about fire escape plans, home fire sprinklers, smoke detectors, and other safety issues.

Fire and EMS equipment will be on display, as well as, tours available.