For the East Williston Fire Department, summer is for safety.
The department is holding a series of summer informational events and cookouts for the community to help educate residents on what to do in the event of emergencies and common issues that the department receives help requests for. All take place on Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. at the village’s firehouse, located at 456 Sagamore Ave.
“We want to do our best to reach out to the community so we can keep everybody safe as best we can,” said Patrick Theodore, a fire commissioner for the department. “If people have issues, we want them to call for help and, for safety, know what to do and what not to do.”
Firefighters will be cooking up free barbeques for all who attend the upcoming July 24 and Aug. 14 events.
“It’s nice to give back to the community,” Theodore said. “We like to do anything we can do and make the event more attractive to people.”
On July 24, the department will focus on what to do if someone sees a sparking or downed power line. Theodore said the department receives frequent calls from residents asking how to respond. A representative from the power company, PSEG, will attend the event and educate residents on how they deal with the issue.
On Aug. 14, the department will guide residents through creating a fire safety plan in case they ever experience a fire in their home or apartment.
“Having a plan when you do have an emergency, if you do have a fire in the house, it’s very good to have a plan so that when we get to the scene, it makes our lives easier and safer and helps ensure everyone gets out of the house,” Theodore said.
Earlier in the summer, Theodore said the department held another event informing residents on what they should do if their carbon monoxide alarm goes off, something else they get frequent calls about.
He encouraged residents to attend the events, even if they think they might not need the information.
“I’ve been in the fire service for 31 years, and I still learn,” Theodore said. “Even I learn new things every day.”
No registration is required for the events, and all are welcome.
