Cape Coral Fire Department Open House set for Saturday
Members of the Cape Coral community will have the chance to meet the men and women who protect them in an emergency this Saturday, while learning some valuable information along the way.
All Cape Coral Fire Department stations will be open to the public from 9 a.m. until noon where the public can learn about fire apparatus, equipment, and services. Along with meeting the firefighters, attendees will be offered a variety of fun and educational activities and displays.
“The annual Open House is a fun and exciting way for us to engage the community,” said Fire Chief Mike Russell. “Visitors have the opportunity to learn about the different aspects of the CCFD, our all-hazards response capabilities, our partnership with other agencies, and our commitment to the well-being of people in our community. We look forward to welcoming everyone at all of our fire stations on November 14.”
The locations of the stations and the activities at each are:
• Station 1, 4610 Coronado Parkway. At the “Save a Life Station,” visitors can practice Family and Friends CPR and learn about safety, services, and involvement opportunities from the American Red Cross. The Cape Coral Animal Shelter will have adoptable dogs for visitors to meet, and Beesley’s Paw Prints will bring some of their therapy dogs and have information on their pet therapy program. OneBlood will also be on-site accepting blood donations from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Station 2, 521 Nicholas Parkway. Cape Coral Police Department officers (human and K-9) will be onsite with a patrol car, motorcycle, UTV, SWAT BearCat, and drones at the “CCPD Station.”
• Station 3, 1627 Everest Parkway. The Cape Coral Parks and Rec Fun Mobile will be at the “City Station,” as will Emergency Management with a flood simulator demonstration and all hazards information. Public works heavy equipment will also be at this station.
• Station 4, 2007 Santa Barbara Boulevard. The “Water Safety Station” will showcase the CCFD’s marine and dive equipment. There will be water safety and swim instruction information from Lee Health, the YMCA, Florida Drowning Prevention Foundation, Infant Swim Rescue, and SafeSplash Swim School and boating safety information from the US Coast Guard Auxiliary.
• Station 5, 1029 Diplomat Parkway. The “Wildland Safety Station” is where guests can see the equipment used for fighting brush fires including the CCFD’s brush truck, a Florida Fish and Wildlife UTV, and a Florida Forest Service transport trailer and bulldozer. FWC will also have a wildlife artifacts display, and visitors can also meet Forestry’s famous mascot, Smokey! Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will have information on living with burrowing owls and starting a burrow and meet their owl mascot Athene!
• Station 6, 4540 Chiquita Parkway. Firefighters will perform vehicle extrication demonstrations at the “Vehicle Safety Station.” SafeKids will also provide free car seat checks.
• Station 8, 707 SW 1st Street. Visitors will be able to get up close with a Lee County Mosquito Control District (LCMCD) helicopter and a Lee County Hyacinth Control airboat at the “Don’t Bug Me Station.” There will also be an educational insect display.
• Station 9, 4107 Pelican Boulevard. The “Junior Firefighter Station” allows kids to don gear and navigate firefighter obstacles such as crawling through a smoky tunnel, using a hose, and climbing through a window.
• Station 11, 1038 Burnt Store Road. The “Lee County EMS Station” will have an ambulance and the LeeFlight helicopter for guests to tour.
• Station 12, 2129 Chiquita Blvd. At the “Special Operations Station” visitors will learn about special operations performed by firefighters including hazardous material response and Urban Search and Rescue and can meet some of TRISAR K9 Search and Recovery’s K9 partners.
• Station 13, 2025 NE 6th St. The “Child Safety Station” will have an inflatable fire safety smoke house for guests to explore, face painting, 9-1-1 for kids with CCPD Dispatch, kids fingerprinting, and the United Way ReUnite program which is offered for children and vulnerable adults who may be prone to wandering or becoming lost.
• Station 7, 3942 Burnt Store Road N, and Station 10, 3623 Gator Circle West, will have CCFD Open House activities.
“Open House helps people better understand the many responsibilities of our firefighters, the equipment they use, and the training required to serve our community,” CCFD spokesperson Andrea Shuch said. “Even more importantly, it allows residents to interact with our personnel outside of an emergency situation. Building those relationships and establishing trust within the community is important to us. We want residents to know the people behind the uniform.”
While the event is geared towards members of the public, firefighters and personnel also enjoy getting to meet the people they serve each and every day.
“Our firefighters genuinely enjoy these opportunities,” Schuch said. “Most of the time, when residents see firefighters, it’s during an emergency or when crews are responding to a call. Open House gives our personnel the chance to interact with people in a much more relaxed setting, share their experiences, and answer questions. Our firefighters take great pride in what they do, and they enjoy showing families the equipment, explaining the different aspects of the job and giving children a glimpse into what it’s like to be a firefighter. It’s also rewarding for our personnel to see the excitement and curiosity these events generate, especially among young children.”
As to why residents should come on out to their local fire station and get a peek behind the curtain, Schuch said, “We encourage everyone to stop by, even if they only have a few minutes. You don’t have to stay for the entire event to learn something, meet a firefighter, or walk away with a better understanding of what we do. Open House is about more than seeing a fire truck. It’s an opportunity to learn something that could help keep you or your family safe, ask questions, and get to know the firefighters who serve your neighborhood. These stations are part of your community, and we want residents to feel welcome there. We’d love to see families come out, explore, learn something new and have a little fun along the way.”
For more information, visit capecoralfire.com/open-house.
To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com