Mankato Fire hosts Open House during Fire Prevention Week

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Mankato Public Safety is in the midst of Fire Prevention Week, joining fire departments across the country.

To highlight the importance of fire prevention, it starts with the lessons of a historic fire, from over 100 years ago.

A historic Midwest fire led to country-wide fire awareness that would be recognized every year.

“It’s always going to be centered around October 8th. Unfortunately, the great fire in Chicago that happened on October 8th in 1871, ah is kind of the center piece of this. So this is a way for communities to kind of take a minute to pause, think about what happened, think about ways to prevent that from happening again, and just kind of remember the past,” Fire Marshal Sean Hayes said.

That fire claimed 300 lives. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge officially proclaimed the first National Fire Prevention Week.

Fire Marshal Sean Hayes explained how the history is important to know as most fires can be avoided.

“The easiest way we can prevent fires um honestly, is by changing our behaviors. Our behaviors are our driving force of that. Some of the common fires that fire departments, especially us, deal with are cooking related. A, the behavior that can be changed is, be attentive. Stay in the kitchen. Be present when we’re cooking,” he said.

During fire prevention week, the department hosts an open house -this year on Sunday, October 13th- inviting residents to see how fire fighters live and work, and to bring fire awareness.

The department’s main event will include interactive displays with a live fire demonstration. They will show how to use fire extinguishers, show how smoke moves through homes and how to stay low to the ground.

Hayes encourages the community to bring their questions and concerns to the event as well.

“Interact with fire fighters -ask the questions that you’ve always wanted to ask. It gives -it’s gonna give the community a chance to come through and have guided tours of the fire station,” he said.

When it comes to the dangers of fire, there is one main goal the department keeps in mind.

“The ultimate goal is to reduce fire-related deaths and value of prop -like loss of property. So the more information we can provide our community with the better off we are in the future,” Hayes said.

For more fire education and to see what your local department does behind the scenes, you can visit the Mankato Fire Station located at 710 S Front St, Mankato, this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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