BIDDEFORD — It’s safe to say that since that since the Central Fire Station first opened on Alfred Street in Biddeford in 1990, Saturday’s Open House there was the largest number of people to visit the Biddeford Fire Department ever at one time.

Hundreds turned out to meet firefighters, climb into fire trucks or to see first-hand what it’s like to work at the fire station. Young and old got to wield actual fire hoses, watch a car-cutting demonstration, join a fire extinguisher demonstration, and have a car seat safety check for parents of small children.

Visitors received fire safety information, listened to presentations about CPR and how cardiac AED defibrillators can save lives. They learned about the city’s  emergency medical services, saw how firefighters and rescue personnel go about making extractions from vehicles in accidents, and took guided tours of the Central Fire Station.

Some families visited the Biddeford Fire Museum inside the fire station for the very first time, while others tried on firefighting gear, or met Sparky the Fire Dog. There was free food, face painting for children and goodies from Firehouse Subs.

Denis Stowe of Biddeford brought her sons Jaxen Pruitt, 12, and Devan Smith, 9, to the open house and said they enjoyed the time they spent there.

“My son Devan loves firefighters,” Stowe said. “His father was a volunteer firefighter in Buxton and we are having so much fun out here today.”

Biddeford Deputy Fire Chief Paul R. LaBrecque said that the open house was intended to be informative and filled with fun for their guests.

“This Open House is being held in conjunction with National Fire Safety Prevention Week and is a great way for the Biddeford Fire Department’s to connect with the public and provide invaluable fire safety tips to a large group of people,” he said.

The members of Biddeford’s Fire Department are tasked with providing fire protection, advanced life support ambulance service, fire prevention and special rescue services spanning more than 33 square miles in the city. They accomplish that mission with a force of 45 full-time personnel and 30 on-call firefighters.

LaBrecque said that besides fighting fires, Biddeford firefighters also respond to many other types of calls, including residential commercial fires, vehicle accidents, automobile and brush fires, hazardous material spills and situations, and perform river and ocean water rescues, among other tasks.

Also on hand to meet the public during the open house were representatives of the Biddeford Police Department, Maine Forest Service, Scarborough Police Department, York County Emergency Management, York County Juvenile Fire Safety Coalition, and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.

Claudette DeSautels, a Maine forest ranger with the Maine Forest Service said that she was happy to attend the event and talk to participants about what her organization does.

“Oh my God just look around at all of the children and the community here,” DeSautels said. “This is amazing. I’ve met many children here today, introduced them to Smoky Bear and talked with them about fire prevention.”

She said that the toughest part of her job involves dealing with violators, like those who choose the forest for illegal dumping, cutting timber illegally or burning without a permit.

“But the best part of my job is coming to events like this and meeting the public,” DeSautels said.

Biddeford Fire Captain Michael Audet led a team of firefighters conducting a car-cutting demonstration as open house participants watched. The demonstration also counted as training for certification for the team of firefighters.

“We always have to be ready to do this and not always in the city,” Audet said. “We provide mutual aid to surrounding towns and sometimes they don’t have the equipment we do. Situations are always different, so we have to be prepared for anything.

Audet helped to cut the roof off an old Nissan Altima and said this time, the weather cooperated.

“Sometimes when we do this it’s pouring rain or snowing,” he said.

Inside the fire station, Mike Tremblay, the director of the Biddeford Fire Museum, talked with families about the collection of more than 1,000 Biddeford Fire Department artifacts it contains.

“A lot of people tell me they never knew this museum was here,” Tremblay said. “So it’s a great opportunity to show our visitors today what’s in here.”

— Executive Editor Ed Pierce can be reached at 282-1535 or by email at editor@journaltribune.com