Tullytown Holds Large Fire Prevention Event

Fire prevention month kicked off in a big way on Saturday with the annual Tullytown Fire Company event in the parking lot of Home Depot off of Route 13.

The day acts as a way to get families outside and engaging with first responders. By getting involved and learning fire safety, company leaders hope to save lives and get kids more comfortable with the idea of a firefighter so that they are not scared should they ever need their help.

“It’s just a chance to raise awareness amongst the community,” explained Dale Mastrull, the chief of the fire company.

The event has been going on for nearly 10 years now. In the beginning, the festival was a small two-hour gathering inside of the fire station. While it was still functioning, the manager of the now-closed Sonic restaurant approached fire company leadership asking to bring the festival to life out in the open. Home Depot got involved and the festival as it lives today was born.

In addition to the expected firefighting apparatus from numerous towns, there was food, vendors and activities for kids to take part in. Demonstrations and workshops like a police K-9 unit and a smoke trailer teaching the fundamentals of staying out of smoke in a burning house were at the location.

“It gives us a chance to reach out to a bigger audience by having this in an open location,” Mastrull explained.

Having the festival in an open location gives the community a greater chance of seeing the event and getting involved. It also allows local businesses to get involved, Mastrull went on.

Over the years, the event has grown and feedback has been mostly positive. The attendance seems to continue to grow each year. The original location of the festival, at the fire department, was not big enough to facilitate all the apparatus the company wanted to show. The current situation allows all of the space the company needs.

Home Depot, who is joined with the fire company to help put on the prevention day each year, had a large presence at the event. Selma Mead, an employee with the store, explained that the company likes to be involved due to the importance of fire safety.

If families come away from fire prevention day with one takeaway, it should be to check smoke alarms at least once every month and to practice fire drills so that every member of the family knows at least two escape routes, Mastrull said.