By Beth David, Editor
A little bit of rain did not stop the Acushnet Fire Department from holding its annual open house on Sunday, 10/29/23. Some of the activities moved inside the fire station, but the demonstrations still took place outside. Firefighters set up a few canopies so spectators could watch the car extraction, but Mother Nature also cooperated by sending a dry spell during the demonstration.
Dozens of people milled around the station, checked out the equipment on display in the parking lot, got treated to hamburgers and hot dogs, free drinks, and other activities for kids.
The equipment included a portable water tank for use where there are no hydrants close by. The tank is filled by the tanker and used by the pump truck, with the tankers on a constant loop run to the nearest hydrant to keep the tank filled.
Acushnet Scout Pack 51 showed kids how to make a bird feeder by smearing peanut butter on an ice cream cone and then rolling it in bird seed.
Young Stephen, whose father is a firefighter, watched the car extraction, not for the first time. He said the part when the glass shatters is his favorite part.
Youngsters also had a chance to operate the fire hose, with young Bryce Silva giving it a thumbs up.
“It was super cool, and kind of hard,” said Grayson Gildae.
He said he was able to aim at the cones, but it was a “little bit challenging” to hit them the way he wanted to.
Brody, who wants to be a firefighter, had a smile on his face as he operated the hose for the first time, and it was definitely fun, he said.
“Yeah, fun,” said Bentley with great expression, who also operated the hose for the first time.
“We had a decent turnout in spite of the weather,” said Chief Thomas Farland, who played the victim during the car crash demo, letting his guys haul him away on a gurney.
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- Acushnet firefighters remove the victim of a car crash who was trapped, played by Fire Chief Thomas Farland, during a demonstration at the Acushnet Fire Department open house on Sunday, 10/29/23. Photo by Beth David.
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- L-R: Maverick and his mom Tayla make a bird feeder by smearing peanut butter on an ice cream cone and then covering it with bird seed at the Acushnet Fire Department open house on Sunday, 10/29/23. Photo by Beth David.
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- L-R: Maverick and his mom Tayla make a bird feeder by smearing peanut butter on an ice cream cone and then covering it with bird seed at the Acushnet Fire Department open house on Sunday, 10/29/23. Photo by Beth David.
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- Kids have fun checking out the boat during the Acushnet Fire Department open house on Sunday, 10/29/23. Photo by Beth David.
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- Glass shatters and falls to the ground after an Acushnet firefighter breaks the window of a car to remove a trapped driver, played by Fire Chief Thomas Farland, during a demonstration at the Acushnet Fire Department open house on Sunday, 10/29/23. Photo by Beth David.
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- Bryce Silva mugs it up for the camera as he operates the hose under the watchful eye of Acushnet Call Firefighter Zachary Stupalski during the Acushnet Fire Department open house on Sunday, 10/29/23. Photo by Beth David.
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- It’s hard to tell who’s having more fun, Bentley or Acushnet Call Firefighter Zachary Stupalski, as they operate the fire hose during the Acushnet Fire Department open house on Sunday, 10/29/23. Photo by Beth David.
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Click here to download the 11/2/23 issue: 11-02-23 AcushFireOpenHse
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