Florissant Fire Rescue played host to over 200 people at their Fall Festival / Open House on Oct. 11. This free event for the public included a pumpkin patch, games, candy, vendor booths, a home mitigation model, rescue dummy and good food. Sparky also stopped by to check out the festivities.

“This event was also to hand out information for fire prevention week,” said Fire Chief John Buchan “The community has really got behind us with the open houses and we are able to do it with all the donations we get.”

The Florissant Fire Protection District hosts two open houses a year, one being around Easter and the other at the end of Fire Prevention Week. Along with the annual Pancake Breakfast, they welcome around 1,300 attendees each year.

“It’s a great way to show off the fire district and give back to the community,” Buchan said.

The fire district was proud to show off their brand new, fully equipped Brush Truck 53. This vehicle has been assigned to the Indian Creek subdivision and is the first new brush truck to be assigned to that area. Brush 53 was made possible from a $101,000. donation from the Prospect Foundation and a $30,000 grant that enabled them to obtain a pump and a tank for the truck.

This fire district has been blessed by the benevolence of their community, but Buchan says they still need the proposed mill levy to pass.

“Our fundraisers, donations, and grants are wonderful and appreciated, but they don’t fix the long-term problems facing our district,” Buchan explained. “This district is growing, and we need the mill levy increase to prepare us for the future and to be able to adequately continue our job of protecting and serving this community.”