Open house lets residents see the roles of a firefighter

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Fire Department opened the doors of Fire Headquarters to the public on Saturday, Oct. 12, inviting residents to sit in the driver’s seat of the trucks and fire the hoses to celebrate Fire Prevention Week. This was the second year the department held the open house and demonstrated how they train to respond to emergencies like house fires and car accidents, tearing apart a car donated from Seton Towing.

“We’ll train on stuff like this on a daily basis so we’re proficient when there’s a real call,” Capt. Keith Addie, the department’s public information officer, said in an interview with the News-Record at the event. “Everyone pulls their weight.”

Since Fire Headquarters and Fire Station 2 don’t usually get visitors, the day was a chance for residents to see where the first responders spend their 24-hour shifts.

“People don’t want us to come to them,” Addie joked. “That’s usually the worst day of their lives if we have to go to them. We’d rather they come here. And a lot of people don’t always understand what we do. We’re always working and training; we’re not sitting here and waiting for something to happen.” 

Photos by Amanda Valentovic

  FEATURED, Fire Prevention Week, Maplewood Fire Department