Night at the Firehouse isn't All Fun

The best lessons come with a hefty dose of fun, and the children who attended Wednesday's Night at the Firehouse event at Fire Station 5, 6701 Main St., may not have realized how much they were learning about fire safety and the work of the Downers Grove Fire Dept.

There were demonstrations of automobile extrications, rappelling, thermal imaging and the effectiveness of residential sprinklers. But there also were opportunities for kids to man a fire hose, climb aboard a fire truck and get a special DGFD "tatoo."

This year's Night at the Firehouse was one of the busiest ever, with at least 500 people in attendance, said Marsha Giesler, DGPD public education officer.

The event was held in recognition of National Fire Prevention Week, which continues Friday with a more somber observance,  the 16th annual Silent Parade. More information about the parade is available here.