What happens when you hold an open house at a fire station?
Curious young children show up with their parents and grandparents...they apparently still want to be firefighters.
The open house at four Akron fire stations on Sunday marked Fire Safety Week...but representatives from the city police and fire departments were also on hand talking to potential recruits.
Akron fire Captain Al Bragg says they need new firefighters and police officers.
"We're planning to hire 38 firefighters and 40 police officers," Bragg tells AkronNewsNow.com, "so this is also a recuiting effort, looking for a few good men and women to join our ranks."
It'll be at least 14 years before four-year old Donte can consider a career as a firefighter. His grandmother, Brenda Vinson, says he'll be a natural.
"I think he would probably be a firefighter, because he loves to climb," Vinson says. "He's very agile. I mean he's young...and quick."
Captain Bragg describes the kind of person who'd be drawn to becoming a firefighter.
"Of course, you get to help people on a regular basis, you get to instruct people on ways of keeping them safe," Captain Bragg tells AkronNewsNow.com. "It's really about helping people. So, if you're a people person, this is the career for you."
Police officers were also present at Akron fire stations on Sunday.
Officer Twila Gaines came to police work naturally 13 years ago. Her father is a retired Akron police officer.
She says what became her career is still rewarding.
"A career full of a lot of benefits, job security," Officer Gaines says, "just to...kind be a hero in the community. So people look up to us, and something to be proud of."
Small children got to climb into police cars and fire trucks at the four Akron stations.
Akron firefighter Terra White demonstrated some of the things on a fire truck at the station on Thornton at Broadway...
"...that was set up to put up to somebody's window to make a rescue, or to go up onto somebody's roof to make a hole..."
Captain Bragg reminds us of one key rule of keeping safe in a fire situation - always identify two exits out of anywhere you are.
