Rialto Fire Open House & Pancake breakfast to kick off Fire Prevention Week

Sparky the Fire Dog’s favorite week of the year is here— National Fire Prevention Week!

To celebrate this year’s campaign — “Don’t Wait Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years — Sparky and his Rialto Fire Department crew are inviting families to learn all about fire safety at the annual Rialto Fire Department Open House and Pancake Breakfast Oct. 8.

This year’s event, planned from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the fire department at 131 S. Willow Ave, will offer pancakes for $4, several hands-on activities for children including safety drills, obstacle courses and learning hands-only CPR. Families will have a chance to meet firefighters and watch them in action as they demonstrate car crash rescue techniques and extinguishing a car fire.

“We’re helping educate families on fire safety and what steps to take in case of an emergency,” said Matt Payne, Rialto Fire Department firefighter/paramedic. As with every year, Payne said National Fire Prevention Week is more than just reminding residents about replacing batteries, but also making sure smoke alarms are in good working condition.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, research shows that most american homes have at least one smoke alarm, but only a small percentage of people know how old theirs are or how often they need to be replaced.

If smoke alarms are past their expiration date, it places people at increased risk of danger, fire officials said.

“Just because it’s on the ceiling doesn’t mean that it’s a functional,” said Payne. “Test them monthly not just when we change the clocks.”

Fire Prevention Week is October 9-15. To learn more, call 909-820-2691.