Second open house draws families to Harmony Fire District
ZELIENOPLE — Tatum Renshaw, 11, and Mason Langly, 7, had smiles on their faces when they blasted a red crate with a fire hose to push it along a track.
It appeared to be a popular activity Saturday, Oct. 11, at Harmony Fire District’s second open house for its Zelienople fire station. The boys said it wasn’t easy, but it likely would’ve been even harder without a trained firefighter by their side.
“It’s just nice to see people come in and get to see our home,” Fire Chief Doug Pickett said. “I was a firehouse brat myself. I grew up in the old fire station … and seeing the kids get to climb on the trucks and see the firehouse is really cool for me.”
The open house from noon to 4 p.m. featured the station’s four fire engines, face painting, station tours, fire extinguisher and blanket demonstrations, a bounce house, a duck pond and free food prepared by the Ladies Auxiliary.
Pickett said the open house is a good way to get the public to come see the station.
“They put a lot of money into this with tax base and all that, so this is their money,” he said. “It kind of let them see what we have here in our home.”
Tatum and Mason said they loved sitting in the fire engine, pretending to drive and turning on the lights. They said the experience made them think about being firefighters someday.
Bethany Shic, a 10-year-old girl, said her favorite part of the day was wearing an oxygen tank on her back that a firefighter would wear.
“It’s really heavy,” Bethany said.
Even though Bethany wants to be a chef, the firefighting skills and training can still apply to her, she said.
“You have to put out the fire when you’re in there if something happens,” she said.
Members from the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company also attended to give demonstrations on using a fire extinguisher and fire blanket.
“They’re selling them like crazy online,” Jack Carney said about the fire blankets. “They get them for birthdays, at Christmas, but very few people know the pros and cons.”
The fire safety education coordinator for Cranberry Township VFC said he’s often sent to schools and businesses to teach students and staff about fire safety. He said if a business’s staff is trained on using a fire extinguisher, the business can get insurance discounts.
Even with the open house, the Harmony Fire District is still prepared to respond to emergencies during the day.
“We have a duty crew on right now, and they have riding assignments on the rig,” Pickett said.
He said non-duty members at the fire station, along with participating in the festivities, are there to corral the children if the fire engines need to make a quick exit.
The fire district also has Cranberry Township VFC, Evans City Area Volunteer Fire Department to the east and Portersville-Muddy Creek Township Volunteer Fire Department to the north for mutual aid if needed.
