As part of its major Open Day (Open Dag) celebration on October 4th, the Aruba Fire Department opened its doors at the Tanki Leendert station to welcome the Aruban community in a family-friendly, educational, and joyful atmosphere.
The grounds of the Tanki Leendert station were transformed into a true “mini Disney World” for the thousands of visitors, with children as the main protagonists. Attractions included face painting, an appearance by Marshall from Paw Patrol, ambulance demonstrations, and interactive presentations on fire prevention by the AFAS team.
In addition, visitors had the opportunity to inspect the fire trucks up close, and children enjoyed spraying water from the hoses. The festive atmosphere brought great satisfaction to the Fire Department staff and personnel, who reflected on the joy and smiles the event brought to attending families.
The day’s program featured high-level practical demonstrations illustrating the rescue work firefighters perform daily following strict safety protocols:
- Vehicle Extrication (Car Cutting): The first demonstration showed the process of rescuing a victim trapped inside a vehicle following an accident, using specialized equipment to open the car and safely extricate the person.
- Fire Demonstration: The same vehicle was set on fire to demonstrate how firefighters efficiently control and extinguish a car fire.
Beyond entertainment, the main objective of the Open Day was to raise community awareness about home safety. The primary focus throughout the week and during the event itself was the installation of smoke detectors.
The department spokesperson made a direct appeal to citizens to protect their families:
“Install smoke detectors in your home. Not just in the kitchen, but in every bedroom and living room. This can save your life and your family’s, especially by waking you up from sleep, as a person can hardly smell smoke while sleeping.”
It was reiterated that in most fatal fire incidents, victims suffocate from smoke inhalation before the flames ever reach them. A smoke detector is the first line of defense to alert a family in time, enabling them to evacuate safely and contact emergency services such as the Fire Department.
