Decas Elementary student Nassira Francisco squeezed the handle of a fire extinguisher and let loose a cloud of white chemicals dousing a small set of flames behind Merchants Way.

“That was fun!” she said before running off to climb inside an array of fire trucks parked nearby.

Nassira was one of roughly 600 people who attended the Wareham Fire Department’s annual open house on Sunday. There, the community was invited in for free food, gifts, demonstrations and lessons on fire safety.

Now in its 22nd year, the event is held in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week, which takes place Oct. 8 though 14.

“This is meant to be an all around fun day for kids and families,” said Assistant Fire Chief John Kelley. “It’s also an opportunity for residents to come down, speak with firefighters, ask questions and see a few things they might not normally get to see.”

The open house started with a parade of fire trucks from Besse Park down Main Street to the Wareham Fire Department. Inside, free pizza, courtesy of Papa Gino’s, was handed out to visitors.

Several activities aimed at teaching kids how to stay safe in the event of fire were offered. Those included a “smoke house,” which is a room filled with artificial smoke that must be crawled through to safely find an exit.

Outside, a fire extinguisher demonstration was popular as was the chance for kids to try their hand at using one of the department’s hoses to hit targets.

At 12:30 p.m., a team of firefighters used tools to cut open a car, demonstrating what would be done in case someone needed to be removed after a crash.

Kelley said he was grateful for the community’s support for another successful open house.

“We’re happy to open our doors and are glad to see so many families here today,” said Kelley.