1000 x 90

Watauga Firefighters Annual EmergencyFest Saturday

By Greg Hince

June 14, 2012. The Watauga County Firefighters Assocication will offer activities, demonstrations and safety displays for children and adults of all ages when it holds its annual EmergencyFest at the Raley Lot on Appalachian State’s campus Saturday.

Photo Courtesy of Watauga County Firefighters Association

The event is free and will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. rain or shine. It will feature train rides, clowns, bounce houses and a dunking booth for the kids and demonstrations from the Fire Department, Police Department, Bomb Squad, EMS and Forest Service.

“It’s a great learning experience and tax payers are able to see the tools that their thousands of dollars go to,” Jim Landis, spokesman for the Watauga County Firefighters Association said. “You can learn how to properly use a fire extinguisher, see a car get cut up and the jaws of life, squirt a fire hose, see medical helicopters, wear the drunk goggles and other fun things like that.

But, EmergencyFest will also offer valuable lessons to High County residents.

“The Forest Service will talk about non-combustible vegetation, which is important because so many people around here live on houses on hills or in the woods,” Landis said. “The reason those people out in California have so many fires is because they won’t listen.”

Landis said the event is always a great experience for attendees and volunteers.

“We encourage everyone who is around the area to come out, it’s a good way to have some free thrills.”