This Saturday, March 11, New Bern Fire-Rescue is hosting a firetruck pull and open house at Headquarters Fire Station located at 1401 Neuse Boulevard. The firetruck pull is scheduled for 8 am-10 am and the open house is scheduled for 10 am to 2 pm. The public is welcome to attend both events. Both events are rain or shine.
Firetruck Pull, 8am-10am
New Bern Fire-Rescue is raising awareness of neuromuscular diseases by hosting a fundraiser for Hope for Harrison, a local nonprofit, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The “Pull for Hope” event is a firetruck pull open to adult teams of 6 people. This is the third year of the event. The goal is to pull a 40,000-pound firetruck 100 feet in the least amount of time. New this year, the department is hosting a women’s division. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 teams in each division.
You can register your team at https://hope-for-harrison.
Open House, 10 am-2 pm
This event is an opportunity to get to know your local New Bern Fire-Rescue. Meet firefighters, ask questions, relay concerns, sign up for a free child safety seat check, and stay for the demonstrations featuring the fire department’s Arson Detection Canine, Bobby. Bring the kids and enjoy fire-safety games, inflatables, and other educational opportunities. New this year, the department will demonstrate its extrication equipment, so visitors will get to see what it takes to rescue someone from entrapment due to a vehicular-, occupational-, or equipment-related incident.
The open house will include tours of the fire station and other emergency readiness equipment, signups for free CPR classes, and signups for a free home safety visit. Home safety visits include fire-rescue staff visiting a resident’s home on a date and time of their choosing, to identify household dangers and risks. Once any dangers or risks are identified, staff help residents learn how to minimize or eliminate them. The home safety visits also assist families in developing emergency preparedness and fire escape plans.
Firefighters will use the open house as a way to remind residents to have working smoke alarms in their homes, to make sure everyone in the house knows how to dial 911 in an emergency, and to practice their fire escape plans at least once a year.
Visitors are encouraged to park in the rear of the headquarters fire station, accessible from First Street so that emergency vehicles can deploy if there is a call for service during these special events. Please join us this Saturday for our open house and firetruck pull.
By Colleen Roberts