Kids checked out the fire trucks, tried out the fire hose, sampled free food and took in all the other activities on Sunday at the 16th annual open house at the Wareham Fire Station.

“We hope to educate the children on fire safety,” said Fire Chief Robert McDuffy. “We have been working in the school all week before this.”

The event had numerous activities designed to be both fun and educational. One such activity was the "smoke room," a small room with a smoke machine in it used to teach people how to see and hear better in a smoke-filled room.

Attendee Michelle Baum enjoyed bringing children to the event. “It’s a nice family event. They really do a great job.” She said allowing kids to explore in the fire trucks was a nice touch.

I like the event because my niece and nephew can learn more about fire safety,” said Wendy Gilbert. “It’s very hands on.”

In addition to climbing on the active-duty trucks, kids had the opportunity to check out a few retired ones, privately owned by Captain Howard Smith. The two trucks are a 1932 model and a 1961 model.

“It’s fun to see the kids come out,” Smith said.

Working alongside the Fire Department was the Police Department, offering fingerprinting for children and recording information so that, if something happened, parents would have more information on file to help find their kids.

“It is important to have this done,” Deputy Linda Pomroy said. She added that the kids really enjoyed the process and each received an ID card.  “You never know when you’ll need it, hopefully never,” she said.