The Allenspark Fire Protection District will be holding an Open House on Saturday, May 21, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The primary focus of the day will be wildland fire mitigation awareness. However, other emergency preparedness topics will also be covered.

Volunteers will be cooking hotdogs, hamburgers and vegetable burgers. Chips and drinks will also be served.

We have received many fire extinguisher donations from area businesses. We will be using these to demonstrate how to use an extinguisher. Attendees will not only learn how to operate an extinguisher, but they can also watch our volunteers using extinguishers on a small, controlled, live fire. Do you have a fire extinguisher in your house? If it has expired, bring it to the open house! You can use it at our demo booth. You can also learn about the different types of extinguishers and find the best one for your needs.

The kids can try on some firefighting clothes and helmets and have their picture taken on a fire truck. There will also be some small fun stuff for them to take home. Maybe, if they’re really good, they will get to hold a hose and shoot some water!

We will have brochures, flyers and youth magazines donated by the Ready, Set, Go program. According to the program, “The Ready, Set, Go! Program, managed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), seeks to develop and improve the dialogue between the fire service and the residents they serve. The program helps the fire service to reach individuals who live in high risk wildland fire areas – and the wildland urban interface (WUI) – how to best prepare themselves, their families, and their properties against outdoor fire threats.”

Also, if you want to help Allenspark Fire find you, you can fill out a Property Information Form. If you don’t already have a large metal, reflective house number sign (green for Boulder County, blue for Larimer County), then you can order one at the Open House.

All our vehicles will be cleaned and ready for your inspection. If you have questions about the apparatus, ask any of our volunteers.

If you would like a tour of the main Allenspark Fire Protection District (AFPD) station, ask a volunteer.

Meet the members, ask questions get to know a little about them.

If you feel up to a challenge, try the milk crate stacking challenge. Unlike the TikTok challenges that result in injuries, this one will utilize harnesses and ropes and have Certified Instructors to make it as safe as possible.

Special guests during the open house will be the Saint Vrain Forest Health Partnership, Wildland Fire Partners, Boulder and Larimer Sheriff’s Officers, Allenspark Neighborhood Emergency Network (ANEN), and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Hope to see you there! The Allenspark Fire Protection District is located at 14861 CO-7 in Allenspark. For information about the district, check out their website at https:// www.allensparkfire.com/, email them at info@allensparkfire.com or give them a call at 303-747-2586.