Fort Drum firefighters welcome community members to Fire Prevention Week open house

FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Oct. 13, 2026) -- Fort Drum firefighters hosted an open house at Fire Station #2 on Oct. 8, offering hands-on safety demonstrations and behind-the-scenes tours in support of National Fire Prevention Month.

Family members explored the inside of a fire truck, extinguished virtual flames with a simulator, and shot blasts of water from a fire hose at a target, among other interactive activities.

“It’s not very often that people get to come into the station and take a tour,” said Capt. Jordan Saber, Fort Drum Fire Prevention Branch. “So, we have a lot of activities for them to do, and we put our guys in full gear so the kids and families know what they’re going to see if we ever have to come to their homes.”

During the open house, children gathered around Sparky the Fire Dog – a celebrity in the Fort Drum fire station – for high fives and photos, chased around a remote-controlled fire truck and leaped inside the Directorate of Emergency Services’ inflatable fire station bounce house.

Saber said the interactions help children see firefighters simply as people who are there to help.

“When we have all the gear on, and these masks, it’s kind of intimidating,” he said. “And then when we arrive to their homes on their worst days, we need kids, and the general public, to feel safe. And it’s events like this that really help to achieve that connection.”

Fort Drum Fire Inspector Cody Martin visits the Child and Youth Services facilities for monthly fire drills, and trains new employees on emergency evacuations.

“We don’t normally interact with the children as much as with the staff and childcare providers themselves,” he said. “That’s why we love opportunities like Fire Prevention Week and National Night Out just so we can meet with entire families.”

Martin said children often mistake him for a different kind of first responder because he doesn’t wear firefighting gear.

“They see the badge and they instantly think I’m a police officer,” he said. “But with an event like this, they can see us in our uniforms, our vehicles, and the different equipment we use. We want to educate to the best of our ability, and we want to give back.”

As families begin heating their homes for the colder months ahead, Saber said this was an ideal opportunity to discuss home fire safety.

“A lot of what they see and learn here they can take home with them,” he said. “We have a fire extinguisher simulator, so they know when and how to use one in an emergency. We also have the fire safety house so they learn how to safely respond when a smoke detector goes off.”

The Watertown Fire Department provided the mobile fire safety house, which emphasized the importance of home escape planning. Attendees practiced staying low to the ground and navigating through a smoke-filled room after identifying the best exit strategy.

“It’s always great when we can partner with the Watertown Fire Department and we appreciate their support,” Saber said. “We offer our training center whenever they’re training new guys, so we work very well together.”

One of the central messages of this year’s Fire Prevention Week was lithium battery safety. This was a topic addressed by Fort Drum DES officials earlier this year when lithium-ion battery from an electric bike, or e-bike, caused a residential garage fire on post.

“We are seeing kids using electric scooters and electric bikes a lot more, so we try to emphasize safe charging and safe storage practices,” Saber said. “It’s still a new technology and extinguishers are just now catching up to it.”

Those who were unable to attend the Fire Prevention Week open house and have questions about home fire safety can call the DES Fire Prevention Branch at 315-772-4702.