Vehicles, first responders, and community members gathered at the Central Fire Station in Jackson Saturday afternoon for the Jackson Fire Department Open House, an effort focused on community engagement and relationship building.
"Anytime we can get out there and engage in our community, to start building those relationships, and also the importance of, if you have to call 9-1-1, we are the ones that are gonna come out there. It's that friendship," said Joe Smith, Assistant Fire Chief.
- Jackson Fire Department hosted an open house featuring demonstrations to connect with community members.
- Firefighters emphasized building relationships helps residents understand their emergency response work.
- Event included safety demonstrations, Jaws of Life operations, and a medical helicopter visit.
For firefighters like Alex Watson who helped organize the event, it's important for neighbors to become familiar with the faces behind the masks and understand what they do.
"There's a lot of behind the scenes that go on that the public might not know. So, doing these events allows them to see what we do on a daily basis, and also gives them an insight on the technical aspect of the job that we do as well," Watson said.
The day included education on safety measures, a demonstration of the Jaws of Life, and even the arrival of a University of Michigan Survival Flight from Ann Arbor.
For visitors like Christy May Davis, the value of these events cannot be measured.
"I think the more we see them, the more we realize how human they are, and that they're just like us. But they're here to really know what they're doing to really save us in events of emergency. And I think that's fantastic," Davis said.
For Smith, the relationships built today will all be worth it for the real mission of first responders.
"Maybe it's that first responder that is coming to deliver that child, you know, that joyous moment there. Or putting out the house fire. Anytime we can build those connections, those relationships, it's gonna be paramount to the mission that we all have... and it's just helping people," Smith said.
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