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Families found plenty to see and do during the annual Family Safety Day Saturday at Warsaw’s Central Park, but two demonstrations attracted good-sized audiences.
First up was a burning doll-sized house with large, orange flames reaching for the sky and plumes of smoke billowing from it once it got going.
Before the demonstration started, firefighter Jason Neher explained, “This house will show people how fire goes through a house, how smoke goes through a house. It will show the importance of getting bedroom doors closed as they are good barriers for smoke and fire. It will show the importance of not breaking doors down or opening windows. The less air the better for us (firefighters) and the people inside.”
By keeping one room of the miniature house closed up during the demonstration, a wad of newspaper inside the space didn’t catch fire, though as the house continued to burn some smoke puffed its way inside.
Saturday’s demonstration was only the second time the fire territory used such a house for educational purposes. “We did a practice one at the station to see how it would react,”?he said.
While Neher and firefighter Darcy Meade opened and closed windows and doors on the dollhouse, controlling the flames and smoke, battalion chief Aaron Bolinger narrated the half-hour presentation and answered questions.
The second demonstration came a half hour later, provided by Kosciusko REMC. Linemen Mike Whitaker and Isaac Harp demonstrated how power lines work, what happens when squirrels, wind or tree limbs disturb them and offered some safety tips.
Besides the demonstrations, Parkview Samaritan and Lutheran Air were scheduled to land their helicopters on site.
During the four-hour Family Safety Day, inside Center Lake Pavilion, there were a number of booths offering giveaways and information. Some of those included Lutheran Health Network, Northern?Indiana Hispanic Health Coalition, The Beaman Home, American Red Cross, Warsaw Police Department’s DARE program and Kosciusko Community Hospital’s surgery department offered a “Gummy Worm Surgery Station” for kids. John Sikora, registered nurse with the KCH Surgery Department, said the activity simulated laparoscopic surgery.
Outside the pavilion, SweetCakes provided animal balloons, WPD Scuba Team offered boat rides, Kohl’s had its “Fit Festival” and the fire territory offered its popular zip line among other activities.
Children were encouraged to take part in the “Safety Scavenger Hunt” to make sure they didn’t miss anything and a chance to receive prizes.
This year’s event was presented by the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory and sponsored by Kosciusko REMC, Lutheran Health Network KCH and media sponsor Lake City Radio.
For more information on Family Safety Day, visit the city’s website at www.warsaw.in.gov (departments/fire/family safety day).
