St. Cloud Fire Open House Features Car Rescue, Sprinkler Burn; Sartell, St. Joseph, Sauk Rapids Also Host Events

(KNSI) – The St. Cloud Fire Department is inviting families to tour one of its stations, climb around the trucks and watch firefighters cut apart a car.

The free open house is Wednesday, October 7th from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Fire Station 3, 1201 University Drive Southeast. It falls during Fire Prevention Week, which runs through October 10th.

Fire Marshal Brian Kiffmeyer told KNSI the evening is built around fire safety, and one of the highlights shows what crews do at a crash scene.

“So you get to see your St. Cloud firefighters performing an auto extrication demonstration, cutting a car apart and kind of demonstrating what they would do if we respond to a car accident and how we assist people in getting them out of those vehicles.”

Crews will also lead tours of the station, trucks and gear. Kids can spray fire hoses at mock fires, and visitors can practice using a fire extinguisher. A Mayo Clinic ambulance and a police vehicle will be on display.

The night wraps up with a side-by-side burn from the American Fire Sprinkler Association, which is bringing a trailer with two furnished rooms. The first room has no sprinklers and will be allowed to become fully engulfed before firefighters put it out. In the second room, a sprinkler kicks on before the fire department would even arrive.

“So we get to kind of see that. And it’s a great demonstration to see how sprinklers work and how they put out fires, how they control fires, and they make buildings safer,” Kiffmeyer said.

The American Red Cross will also be on hand to sign up central Minnesota residents for free smoke alarm installation and battery replacement.

Sartell is holding its own event the next day, with a new twist. The city’s annual fire department open house is now the Sartell Public Safety Open House, bringing firefighters and police officers together for the first time. The change follows last fall’s merger of the two departments into a single public safety division.

The free, come-and-go event is Thursday, October 8th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Sartell Public Safety Facility, 501 Pine Cone Road South.

Kids can decorate their own rubber duck and send it racing, check out fire trucks, police vehicles and other big rigs, and try hands-on activities. Families will also get to meet Sartell officers and firefighters.

Free hot dogs and chips will be served while supplies last, with Coborn’s donating the hot dogs and buns. A few vendors will also have treats for sale.

St. Joseph Fire and Rescue opens its doors Friday, October 9th from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the St. Joseph fire hall. Visitors can see a drone demonstration, a Minnesota State Patrol helicopter, a Mayo Clinic ambulance and St. Joseph police, and learn how to use a fire extinguisher. Free hot dogs, refreshments and goodies will be handed out.

The Sauk Rapids Fire Department wraps up the week with its annual open house Saturday, October 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 408 North Benton Drive. Kids can pick up a free pumpkin for Halloween, grab goodies and educational materials, and spray a fire hose. Firefighters will also demonstrate a vehicle extrication, and all of the department’s trucks will be on display.

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