July 1, 2013
A big crowd of children and adults turned out for a day of information and fun at the annual open house hosted by the Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department.
A big crowd of children and adults turned out for a day of information and fun at the annual open house hosted by the Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department.
Highlights of the June 29 event at the Orr’s Island fire station included a demonstration of rescue tools and techniques, in which firefighters ripped the roof and doors off of an old car as a crowd of onlookers applauded. Several adults and children also got a chance to get hands-on experience using fire extinguishers and even the big fire hoses blasting water from a pumper truck.
Other events included a talk on home safety and emergency planning by Chief Ed Blain and a visit from the Brunswick Fire Department fire safety trailer in which visitors got to experience what it would be like in a smoke-filled home and how to get out safely.
There were also tours of the fire station and equipment, the opportunity to safely dispose of old fire extinguishers and purchase new ones, free blood pressure checks, and balloons, fire hats and badges for children and refreshments for everyone.“This was a real fun time as well as an opportunity to show the community how hard we work and train to keep all of our neighbors safe,” Chief Blain said. “It was gratifying to see such a good turnout and feel the support of the community.”
“Our motto is ‘Neighbors Helping Neighbors’ and we really felt that today,” Blain said.
OBIFD is an all-volunteer department which provides fire and medical rescue services for Orr's and Bailey Islands and portions of Great Island east of the Mountain Road bridge and south of the Nazarene Church on Route 24.