Orange Firefighters Unveil Community Connect at Open House

Orange firefighters will have a better idea of who needs extra help escaping a fire and the special hazards at a particular home with a new service being introduced at an Open House from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Orange Volunteer Fire Department’s Post Road firehouse.

Visitors will be able also be able to participate in games and demonstrations, and enjoy food prepared by firefighters. 

With homes, commercial buildings and neighborhoods increasing in complexity, the more information firefighters have about an address to which they’re responding, the better they can do their jobs. Already, firefighters can learn about commercial buildings and multifamily apartments on their way to a call, including where people who need extra help might be and where special hazards might be lurking. 

A new program, called Community Connect, allows residents to add information about their homes. Letting firefighters know about your home, where your family would meet in an emergency, who might need extra help getting out, what pets you have and potential hazards in your house will help firefighters know what they need to do when they get there. 

Participation in Community Connect is voluntary. Firefighters will be on hand to demonstrate the system, answer questions, sign up community members and help them enter their information.

Also on hand will be firefighters answering questions about joining the department. A smoke trailer will demonstrate how to get out of your home in a fire and firefighters will perform a motor vehicle extrication demonstration.

There’s no charge to visit the Open House, see the department’s apparatus and learn more about your neighbors who serve as firefighters protecting Orange.