Fire department kicks off Fire Prevention Week.

PHOENIXVILLE » The Phoenixville Fire Department will be kicking off Fire Prevention Week with an event at First Friday.

The fire department will occupy the municipal parking lot at Main and Bridge streets from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, during the First Friday celebrations in downtown Phoenixville. There, the department will have a new “Home Fire Escape Plan” brochure for families to complete together. This brochure lists important tasks and includes a grid area to draw a diagram of your home to include all the ways out from each room.

The night will also allow residents to pick up some activity books and helpful safety brochures, meet local firefighters, look at the equipment, sit inside Phoenixville fire trucks. Sparky the Fire Dog and Smokey Bear may also make an appearance tomeet and greet children and parents.

In conjunction with the National Fire Protection Association, the theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Week is “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!”

After the kickoff on First Friday, the department will spend the following two weeks visiting schools and early learning centers in Phoenixville. Firefighters will teach age-specific family and fire safety topics to students.

The department is also continuing to promote the Smoke Alarm Giveaway program. As part of the program, firefighters offer to visit Phoenixville residents to test and install new batteries in existing smoke alarms. If smoke alarms are missing or outdated, the department will install a new smoke alarm in the apartment or each level of a house. Residents may signup for the program during the October First Friday or by calling the Department’s Administrative phone number at 610-933-9717. There will also be a special LEGOLAND Firefighter poster available for children to hang up in their room, so they can remind parents to test smoke alarms each month.