PRESS RELEASE

To enhance civic engagement, and increase the public’s awareness of how to prevent and respond to fires, the Long Beach Fire Department will host an Open House in conjunction with national “Fire Prevention Week.” Across the country, fire stations will open their doors to the community to support education and outreach. The Open House will take place on Saturday, October 14, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at Station 12 (1199 E Artesia Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90805).

“The Long Beach Fire Department works hard to ensure the safety of our community as well as surrounding communities. Just this week, the City’s Fire staff were deployed to Orange County to assist with combatting Canyon Fire 2,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “Our City is proud to participate in National Fire Prevention Week through events like Fire Station 12 Open House.”

Open to the community, this event will include fire station tours, extraction and search dog demonstrations, and remarks by Vice Mayor Rex Richardson.

Schedule of Events:

• 11:00 a.m. Open House Begins
• 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. Fire Station Tour
• 11:35 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. Job Specific Demonstrations for Firefighters
• 12:00 p.m. to 12:15 p.m. Elected Remarks & History of Station 12 Video
• 12:25 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. “Jaws of Life” Extrication Demonstration
• 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Fire Station Tour
• 1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Haz-Mat Display/Demonstration
• 1:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Fire Station Tour

*Tentative Schedule of Events. Times and demonstrations are subject to change.

“I encourage the community to come out to this fun and educational event,” said Vice Mayor Rex Richardson. “This event will allow residents to get to know the people behind the uniforms and get an up-close look at Fire Station 12.”

National Fire Prevention Week runs from October 8 to October 14, 2017. A Long Beach Fire Department Open House is expected to become a new annual tradition for the Department and will rotate to different stations each year to provide equal access to the community.

“As part of Fire Prevention Week, the Long Beach Fire Department welcomes members of the public to Fire Station 12,” said Fire Chief Michael DuRee. “We are committed to educating our community about the importance of fire safety and about the contributions made by the men and women of the fire department in service to our City.”

Paramedic Rescue 12 was restored at Station 12 earlier this year thanks to voters’ support of Measure A. From March 1, 2017 to September 1, 2017, Rescue 12 responded to 1,662 calls for service. Response times in the Rescue’s immediate response area have reduced by three minutes, four seconds down to five minutes, 36 seconds. Across the city, the response time for a Paramedic Rescue to arrive on scene has been reduced by 21 seconds.

About Long Beach Fire Department

The mission of the Long Beach Fire Department is to protect lives, property, and the environment, improving the quality of life and safety of the community and our visitors. Visit us at www.longbeach.gov/fire, "Like" us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

About Measure A
In 2016, Long Beach voters recognized a pressing need to maintain and enhance public safety services and invest in City infrastructure. Thanks to the passage of Measure A, Fire Engine 8, Paramedic Rescue 12, Police South Division, and Police Academy operations have been restored, enhancing public safety citywide. The City is also making a historic investment in revitalizing heavily utilized public spaces such as streets, libraries, community centers, and parks. Anticipated to raise $384 million over ten years for the City of Long Beach, Measure A is collected as a one percent sales tax for the first six years, and then reduces to half a percent in the four years before it sunsets. For more information, visit: www.longbeach.gov/MeasureA