Hot Ticket: Malvern's Public Safety Day Is This Saturday

Each year at its , the Malvern Fire Company rolls out its antique pumper. The circa 1903 fire engine sits on four giant, wood wheels and was meant to be pulled by horses to blazes.

At the 2011 event this Saturday, fire company members will try something new: turning it on and blasting water.

Assistant Fire Chief Neil Vaughn said he was smacking himself in the head, wondering why he didn't think of it sooner.

"We have this truck, we know it pumps... Why haven't we ever done it for this day?" he said. "We did it down at Paoli in November [at a building dedication], and it got such a great reception and reaction."

The century-old fire engine is just one aspect of a free event that's meant to entertain residents as they learn about safety. Emergency responders and equipment from throughout the area will be on hand for demonstrations and instruction.

West Caln Police Department's K9 unit will be on hand for a demonstration, and the PennSTAR medical helicopter from the University of Pennsylvania will stop in for about an hour. There will also be bicycle safety instruction.

Six cars, donated by Abel Brothers Towing, will be used for vehicle rescue demonstrations throughout the day. Some will be set ablaze and extinguished, others will be dismantled slowly so that rescuers can display the different tools and techniques used to extract crash victims.

"We'll tear them apart slowly, but surely," Vaughn said. "At the end of the day, we do a full-speed demo to show how fast crews can get into the car."

A small mock home built specially for the day will be filled with old furniture and flooded with nontoxic smoke. Children can use a special thermal imaging machine, about the size of a camcorder, to see outlines of furniture through the haze. Later in the afternoon, the structure will be used for a house fire demonstration.

Here's the tentative schedule, which is subject to change:

• Noon — Festival open
• 1 p.m. — PennSTAR medical helicopter arrival
• 2 p.m. — PennSTAR medical helicopter takeoff
                   Vehicle rescue
                   K9 rescue
                   Antique fire apparatus
• 3:30 p.m. — House fire 

The Public Safety Day and Open House is free to the public, including free food and drinks. It will be held Saturday, May 7, from noon to 4 p.m., rain or shine, at the Malvern Fire Company building at 424 E. King St. For more information, visit the Malvern Fire Company website.