Sirens Blasting, Kids Playing Dress up & Cars Getting Cut up
October 23, 2015
-
- Staff photo by Doug Robinson Litchfield Fire Chief Frank Fraitzl cooks the hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and hot dogs, non-stop, for the hundreds of visitors to the fire department’s open house.
-
- Staff photo by Doug Robinson Mallory Belanger receives instruction from Litchfield Firefighter Bouley in the proper technique and operation of the Jaws of Life rescue tool.
-
- Staff photo by Doug Robinson Griffin Marlin enjoys his learning experience as he sits in the Litchfield police cruiser.
-
- Staff photo by Doug Robinson “Now where do I go?” shouts Evan O’Connor, as he completes one part of the huge firefighting obstacle course.
-
- Staff photo by Doug Robinson Litchfield Firefighter John Travis walks his young friend, McNally Burns, through the foam.
-
- Staff photo by Doug Robinson Staff photo by Doug Robinson Litchfield firefighters cut away the vehicle door as they begin to extricate the victim from the car during the Jaws of Life demonstration.
by Doug Robinson
The scene was directly from those children’s books we have all read.
Imagine, you get to ride in a huge fire truck. You get to experience the blasting of the sirens while you travel down the roads of Litchfield. You even get to watch a car being cut up while those dressed in fancy fire gear save two people.
And, you get to use the firefighters’ tools to cut up a car yourself, try out a fire extinguisher, or escape through a window to the safety of a real firefighter.
Such were the activities at the Litchfield Fire Department’s open house, held on Oct. 17.
The parking lot was so full of people that people were bused in from the remote parking facility set up at the Griffin School.
The fire chief cooked more hot dogs and hamburgers than he could count. Eleven chili crock pots were being individually tested in an effort to award “this year’s winner” to earning the Best Chili bragging rights in Litchfield.
The Litchfield Police were present with a cruiser offering all the opportunity to sit in the back, or sit behind the driver’s wheel. Kids were playing cops, and the real cops were kidding around with the children, offering words of kindness and compassion.
Youngsters bounded in the huge bounce house, and parents participated in a walk down memory lane as the Litchfield Historical Society opened their doors for the public.
The open house took months of planning and required an all-hands-on-deck participation from the Litchfield firefighters.
“This is a great event,” commented Litchfield Fire Chief Frank Fraitzl. “This event gives us the opportunity to share with this great community. It is a fun event for everyone.”
