AMARILLO, TEXAS -- The Amarillo Fire Department dubs the month of October Fire Prevention Month, and the community is invited to participate in fire education.
Fire Prevention Week is officially October 7 through October 13, and for those seven days Amarillo firefighters will be showing people around the fire houses and attending safety days at different businesses around town.
"We do tours a lot," Firefighter Mark Mendez said. "Kids come up to the station and we tour them around, show them the fire trucks, get dressed up and let them know what we look like when we're in a fire. That way, they're not scared when it comes time to it."
Fire Prevention Week is directed toward everyone in Amarillo, but children are the main audience as the fire department hopes to teach them how to get out of burning houses safely.
"We take it (kids safety house) out and we'll have the kids crawl through there," Cpt. Wes Hall stated. "We can fill it up with smoke and teach them how to get out of the house. We try to tell them to know two ways out and to get out stay out. And the kids safety house gives us that opportunity."
According to Hall, the people of Amarillo seem to have good knowledge on fire safety. But he added it's never a bad to refresh a fire safety plan.
"Fire Prevention Week has its roots from the Great Chicago Fire where a lot of houses burned and a lot of people died. So, we want to try to keep that from happening again."
Education is part of the job, Mendez pointed out, but it's a part of the job firefighters enjoy.
"It's a cool experience to know that a bunch of people look up to you and respect you so much. I love the job all the way through. It's nothing better that I could experience."
Fire station tours are available throughout the month of October. Hall recommends those interested call in advance.
