Winnetka residents who want to learn more about the village’s fire and police departments can get a firsthand look at their operations this weekend when the two departments hold their annual Public Safety Building Open House.
The Oct. 14 event will start at 10 a.m. and run until 1 p.m., at 410-428 Green Bay Road, where the two departments are housed, Fire Chief Alan Berkowsky said.
“It’s been going on for a number of years. It’s a very family-friendly event, and kids generally have a great time,” Berkowsky said. “They can check out fire trucks and police cars, they can operate a real fire hose, and it’s also an educational opportunity.”
One of the day’s highlights is a fire prevention puppet show, he said, while another is a presentation where visitors can watch how firefighters extricate someone from an automobile. Visitors can watch other equipment demonstrations, and children can also get temporary tattoos and make public safety-related buttons, he said.
More Top Picks Best Heavy Punching Bags
Berkowsky said the open house caps Fire Prevention Week, which, according to the National Fire Protection Association, takes place annually in the same week that commemorates the October 1871 Great Chicago Fire.
This year, the week began Oct. 8, Berkowsky said. During the week, department members will visit Winnetka’s public, parochial and private elementary schools to talk to students about fire prevention, he said.
This year, visitors can learn more about the village’s move to a consolidated fire and police dispatch system, Interim Police Chief Marc Hornstein said.
“In the past, people could tour our dispatch facility during the open house, but since we transitioned to the consolidated system with Glenview in June, we thought it would be helpful to have people from Glenview on hand to answer questions about what that means. It’s certainly a firsthand opportunity to ask questions about the process,” he said.
Visitors will still be able to meet officers and tour the department’s lock-up and firearms range, he said, and children will be able to sit in a department squad car.
The department will serve light refreshments, including ice cream, and will give young visitors goody bags once they’ve completed the police department tour, Hornstein and Berkowsky said.
Twitter: @pioneer_kathy