MONROE, CT — Rainy weather delayed the Monroe Volunteer Fire Department’s Truck and Car Show several times, but it was finally held on a sunny Sunday afternoon during the fire company’s annual Fire Safety Day and Open House.
The show celebrated the MVFD’s 100-year-anniversary. Families checked out the row of antique fire trucks on Fireman’s Field, and Stepney, Stevenson and other area departments shined up their modern apparatus for a panel of judges. The event also feature classic cars.
“We open up the station and let people meet our volunteer firefighters, get up close to the trucks and touch the gear,” said Monroe Fire Chief Kevin Catalano.
This year’s theme was “Cooking Safety Starts with You.”
“Cooking is still the number one cause of house fires,” Catalano said of how people can easily become distracted and leave their food unattended.
The fire department has a “Stand by Your Pan” campaign and offers safety tips such as always keeping a lid nearby the stove, immediately shutting off the burner, and not leaving stuff on the stove when not cooking.
Catalano, Fire Marshal William “Bill” Davin and other firefighters will visit schools, day cares and the Monroe Farmers’ Market this month to talk about fire safety. On Tuesday, Davin and Catalano will visit the Monroe Senior Center.
On Sunday, fire safety brochures were available for visitors of the Truck and Car Show.
Among the fire companies participating in the show Sunday were Nichols in Trumbull, Trumbull Center, Shelton and Prospect, and the Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Service brought an ambulance.
Sean Dufficy, a firefighter with the Trumbull Volunteer Fire Department, buffed the hubcaps of Engine 102, which was used to battle a blaze at a 17,000-square-foot house at Putting Green North in May.
“It started in the garage,” Dufficy recalled. “With help from the Trumbull, Monroe and Shelton fire companies we saved the structure.”
Dufficy said the Trumbull firefighters always try to participate in other fire companies’ events to show their mutual support. “We’re neighbors helping neighbors,” he said. “Of course we’re going to help our neighbors.”
Young children had fun climbing aboard the trucks and posing for pictures on Sunday and town firefighters did an extrication demonstration, cutting and removing a car roof.
The Huntington Fire Department lent the MVFD a wooden cutout of a house on fire for children to shoot water at with fire extinguishers. They also played games of cornhole and checked out the robot at the Masuk High School Robotics tent.
Members of the Robotics Team sold raffle tickets to raise money for the popular program. The top prize is a 20-seat box at the Bridgeport Islanders hockey game against the Bruins on Dec. 27. To purchase tickets and support the robotics program, click here.
Families enjoyed hot dogs off the grill Sunday and could buy MVFD 100th Anniversary T-shirts and commemorative coins in exchange for donations. Many children went home wearing plastic junior fire helmets.
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