Under a warm, late summer sun, the Saint-Lazare fire station held its Open House on Saturday, September 14. Nearly 1,000 visitors, young and old, were on hand to discover the fire station and, by extension, the firefighting profession. 

The visit to the local fire brigade's headquarters was an ideal opportunity for citizens to learn more about this profession and the behaviors to adopt on a daily basis to improve safety for all. Numerous demonstrations were on the program for this family-friendly event. 

This initiative was intended as a springboard to highlight Fire Prevention Week, which will take place from October 6 to 12, 2024. “The event was very popular. The Open House started at 10 a.m., and citizens lined up to see us as early as 9:45 a.m.,” says Alain Deguire, Fire Department Director.  

Simulations and CPR courses on the program 

Visitors to the site were able to take part in a number of simulations, including two in which the firefighters staged an intervention following a road accident. 30-minute CPR training sessions, subject to registration, were also offered to those interested in perfecting or updating their knowledge. 

On the day's program, visitors could also try out a portable fire extinguisher and a fire hose, and visit a smoke simulation trailer and fire trucks. “There was a long queue at the fire hose booth. The smoke simulation trailer was also quite popular, as were the fire trucks, which kids like to sit in,” he notes. 

People were also able to play the game of dressing up as a firefighter and having their photo taken in a photobooth. A prevention booth for the 72-hour kit was also set up on site to raise awareness on the subject. 

Mascots Yvon Larosé and Cloé Tincelle were on hand to delight young and old alike, who had their photo taken with them.  

Hot dogs, chips and beverages were served by the Unité Communautaire de Mesures d'Urgences. Several draws and prizes were awarded throughout the day. 

A good opportunity to raise awareness 

“At every Open House, we take the opportunity to inform the public on a variety of subjects. For example, we share the previous year's statistics and raise awareness on the subject. If the majority of our interventions in the previous year were linked to smokers' articles, we'll inform them on the subject. We're also going to run simulations so they know how to react in a specific situation, such as a stove fire or a car accident,” he adds. 

Ville de Saint-Lazare also took the opportunity to promote its emergency telephone system, which enables the largest possible number of citizens to be reached in emergency situations. 

CETAM and the municipal patrol were also on hand to meet interested parties and answer questions.