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The Ankeny Fire Department invites the community to its annual Fire Prevention Week Open House on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 6 – 8 p.m. at the Fire Station Headquarters, 120 NW Ash Drive. National Fire Prevention Week is Oct. 8-14, 2023.

This free Open House will include a variety of educational, family-oriented hands-on activities for all ages. Residents can learn more about the power of fire prevention and technologies available to protect their own families from fire. 

Activities:

• Meet Ankeny firefighters
• Escape a smoke-filled bedroom in the fire safety house
• Spray a fire hose
• Try on firefighter gear 
• Use a fire extinguisher
• Tour the fire station
• A variety of other interactive fire safety activities

This is the 101^th anniversary for Fire Prevention Week. This year’s theme “Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention”  works to educate the public about simple but important steps they can take to help reduce the risk of fire when cooking at home, keeping themselves and those around them safe. Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began Oct. 8, but continued into and did most of its damage Oct. 9, 1871.