Woods Public Safety Open House to provide demonstrations, fire safety tips

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Safety will take center stage this Sunday in Grosse Pointe Woods.

From noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 9, the Woods Public Safety Department will be hosting its annual open house at the fire station, adjacent to Woods City Hall at 20025 Mack Plaza Drive. The free event is open to all ages and will include equipment and K-9 demonstrations, a smoke house exercise and fire safety demonstration, appearances by Medstar Ambulance and the Michigan State Police Bomb Squad, interaction opportunities with Faith & Blue, and chances for people to talk to members of the department and learn more about fire safety.

“We want the community to know about our Public Safety Department,” Woods Public Safety Director John Kosanke said. “It’s a good question-and-answer event.”

There will be stickers and mini fire helmets for children, as well as cider, chips, doughnuts and free giveaways during this event. Kosanke said it’s not just for Woods residents.

“Anybody can come,” Kosanke said. “We welcome everybody that wants to come see us.”

Kosanke said he isn’t sure how long the Woods has been hosting this event, but he said it was already in place when he started with the department in 1990, so it has been going on “for decades.” Besides parents bringing their children, he said grandparents also often bring their grandkids.

“It’ll be a chance to see all of our emergency equipment up close and interact with our personnel,” Kosanke said. “It’s a nice event for the kids. They get to learn about fire safety.”

Kosanke said the event coincides with the start of Fire Prevention Week, which this year runs from Oct. 9 to 15.

“I’m very happy and proud that we can do a nice open house like we have done in past years,” Woods Mayor Arthur Bryant said. “It’s a good time for people to come with their children to learn about police and fire, and how they protect us all.”

He said it might even inspire career aspirations among some of the young attendees, perhaps encouraging them to go into public safety one day.

Kosanke said about 300 people have attended the open house in recent years.

“This is a good, positive event with the community,” Kosanke said.

Plenty of parking is available nearby, including in the Woods City Hall/Community Center parking lot. No registration is needed. For more information, visit the city’s website at www.gpwmi.us.