Pre-K students tour fire department

As part of Fire Prevention Week, the pre-kindergarteners at the Learning Korner Preschool took a field trip to visit the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department on Thursday afternoon.

"It's really just a reminder for parents and families to check their fire alarms and change the batteries," said pre-school teacher Cassie Challburg. "We wanted to bring the pre-kindergarteners just because they never get to see this kind of stuff and be up close to all of the trucks."

Volunteer firefighter David Sanders gave a tour of the station and showed off each of the trucks they use in case of emergencies as well as the equipment the firefighters wear during a fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, this year's Fire Prevention Week theme is "Hear the beep where you sleep. Every bedroom needs a working smoke alarm!"

Three out of five home fire deaths in 2007-2011 were caused by fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. It's recommended to check batteries in fire alarms frequently due because when they fail to operate it is usually because they are missing, disconnected or dead.

The Sidney Volunteer Fire Department will be hosting an open house on Sunday for the community to see the station, trucks and demonstrations. Sidney's local fire department originated in 1879, making it the oldest continuous organization in the community. There are currently 40 local volunteer firefighters.

"We'll have a wrecked car sitting out and we'll show how we would take someone out of it," Sanders said. "There's going to be a bunch of giveaways for the kids like coloring books, pencil cases and little red firemen hats."

The fire department is located at 1115 13th Ave. in Sidney. The open house Sunday will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.