The Manhattan Fire Protection District’s Station 83 Open House in Peotone gave area families the chance to see inside the firehouse, meet the first responders who serve their community, learn hands-only CPR, and kick off the weekend with some food and fun.
“This is the perfect day for it!” Katie Janousek said. She brought her three-year-old son, Teddy, to the event. They just moved to Peotone a few years ago, and this was their first time attending.
“I didn’t expect any of all that was here and what we did. He really liked the first aid station with the bear, calling 9-1-1, and even packing wounds. He’s too little to understand the CPR, but we watched the bigger kids do it, and it was nice to see them learn,” Janousek added.
The free event, which was held on Friday, October 17, ahead of the Peotone versus Manteno football game, had a theme of “Touch Down to Safety,” and gave residents take-home goodies, photo-ops, and a long list of all-ages kid-friendly activities, including a jumpy/bounce house, pumpkin decorating, obstacle course, face painting and, of course, hot dogs, chips, and refreshments.
But that’s not all, MFPD also put on a show with an extrication demonstration — a huge crowd pleaser among those who came to the event.
The extrication demonstration was a huge crowd pleaser. -Photo by Stephanie Irvine.
“It’s a nice set-up with lots of cool things for the kids to check out — and me,” Kevin Wojcik joked. He might have been more excited than his niece and nephew, judging by his excitement while talking about the activities and specifically the extrication event.
He attended with his sister, Laura Drake, and her kids, three-year-old Evan and nine-year-old Emma.
“The bounce house was a hit with my daughter. It’s a good idea, especially with the free food and face painting,” Drake added.
The extrication demonstration showed what happens after a car accident, with Deputy Chief Dave Piper talking through the process with the crowd. He got the kids involved, having them call out 9-1-1 for an emergency, and talked through with the adults that, many times, the car is still in drive and running when they arrive.
MFPD crews drove an ambulance and fire engine with lights to the makeshift scene, acting out how they would help those injured or in distress. Crews brought out the jaws of life and cut the door off the vehicle, allowing one lucky youngster the opportunity to touch the equipment while in operation.
The crews walked the spreader and cutter tools for the crowd to view up close before cutting off the door and spreading open another one.
Following the demonstration, 12-year-old Preston Kress, of Green Garden, asked what happens to the doors after they’ve been cut off, and Piper explained they go with the vehicle to the tow yard once the accident is safe to be cleaned up.
Kress was there with his brother, Hudson, and parents. The boys said the demonstration was their favorite part of the day.
“I liked when the glass exploded!” Kress said.
The pair’s parents, Nicole and Paul, also enjoyed the event, with Paul recalling family memories of donating a car to the fire department.
“This is a very cool event, and I’m impressed by all that they have. They did an amazing job putting it together,” Nicole Kress said. It was their family’s first time attending the event, and they said they’ll be back next year.
The open house also had educational stations for visitors to learn critical life-saving skills. The hands-only CPR and Stop the Bleed stations offered valuable information on how anyone could help in an emergency — and those skills aren’t complicated to remember. They just need to be taught.
“This is a great community event, where people can see all that we do, while giving kids some fun memories at the firehouse,” Chief Steve Malone said.
“It’s important to do events like this and engage with the community. The goal is to educate the public, especially with CPR and basic first aid, so if they’re out in public and something happens, they know what to do,” Malone added.
“It can help save lives. When someone goes into cardiac arrest, if CPR isn’t started immediately, we have almost no chance of saving them. It really is a community effort,” Malone added, underscoring the educational component of the event.
For Marissa Fryfogle, attending the open house is tradition — something she enjoyed as a kid, riding her bike up to the station for the event. Her son, six-year-old Damien, now gets to have some of those same memories as she did — making one of Fire Chief Steve Malone’s goals come to fruition.
“We only get a few community events throughout the year that have activities for the kids, so this is awesome. It’s nice to have a free event for the kids,” Fryfogle said.
As the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, a kids versus firefighters tug-of-war contest wrapped up the event with gusto and ear-to-ear grins.
If the number of smiles measured the event’s success, it’s clear this community event surely succeeded in delighting everyone who attended.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.