FIiremen and women of the future got a feel for the job when the doors at Wollongong Fire Station opened to a world many kids dream of on Saturday.
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There were plenty of smiling faces as dozens of children took aim with a hose or made themselves comfortable in the driver’s seat of a fire truck.
Five-year-old Sam Stevin, whose favourite part was ‘‘seeing the fire trucks because they are big’’, was one of many youngsters who donned protective gear as they explored Fire and Rescue NSW’s 503 station.
One-year-old Dax Shah was already dressed for the job - arriving in a bright red raincoat with ‘‘Jnr. Fire Squad’’ written on the back.
‘‘It’s good for them to know that we’re not scary people - we are approachable,’’ senior Wollongong firefighter Cathryn Dorahy said.
‘‘For us, it [the open day] is about showcasing our station and our equipment, but also highlighting fire safety.’’
A kitchen fire demonstration, station tours and fire safety presentations were part of the program, while a rescue scenario gave people an up-close look at specialised equipment in action.
Ms Dorahy said almost half of all house fires start in the kitchen and the open day was a chance to remind people to ‘‘keep looking while you’re cooking’’, shares tips to prevent a fire from starting and how to put one out.
The Wollongong station was one of more than 330 across the state that took part in the annual event, which coincides with the launch of the FRNSW winter fire safety campaign.
Other Illawarra stations opened to the public included Helensburgh, Scarborough, Coledale, Thirroul, Bulli, Corrimal, Balgownie, Warrawong, Unanderra and Dapto.