SACO — For members of the Saco Fire Department, having an open house felt like the right thing to do. By allowing the public a sneak peak into the firehouse and vehicles, Saturday’s event aimed to educate residents on what goes into being a firefighter.

Built in 2011, the Central Fire Station at 271 North St. opened its doors from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., allowing community members a unique opportunity to view the inside that often goes unseen by people not involved in the department.

“We’re trying to connect with the community. We don’t want the doors locked with them thinking they can’t come and visit, so the doors are open,” said the department’s public education coordinator, Karl Finley. “We have people coming here, young and old, learning all about what we do and also learning about fire safety.”

Jessica Leonard and Ian Pelletier, first-year medical students at the University of New England, hosted a table to educate guests on the importance of checking blood pressure in correlation with the safety promotion from the fire department.

Pelletier said a lot of people are afraid to go to the doctor or can’t afford to, so Saturday’s event gave them a chance to get their blood pressure checked for free.

“It’s really great for us to establish a relationship with the fire department and get out in the community. Both of us care a lot about public health,” said Leonard. “This is a great way to get in touch with local Saco and Biddeford residents and try and promote a healthy lifestyle.”

Fire Chief John Duross said the open house, an annual occurrence since 2014, typically sees about 200 people each year. Part of what the fire department tries to showcase is that it doesn’t just respond to house fires, he said – it’s skilled in a number of disciplines, such as responding to outdoor fires, ice rescues and other emergencies.

“Having an open house is all about asking questions and meeting the people who work here,” said Duross. “At our last location, we were right in the heart of downtown, so people would walk in all the time. This location is a little more remote, so we needed to get a reason for them to come out.”

The department recently purchased a new engine that is set up for motor vehicle accidents. Outside, firefighters had a display showing what goes into this process, performing an extrication on two cars donated by Kirb Side Auto and Salvage.

The fire department has 32 firefighters working 24-hour shifts, as well as a 30-member call division of volunteers. Delani Littlefield, a student at Southern Maine Community College, is studying paramedics and interning at the fire station as part of her education process, which will lead to her graduation in May.

“My dad was a firefighter EMT back where I’m from in the western mountains of Maine, so I grew up in a firehouse. I’ve been a firefighter for six years now,” she said. “We never know what we’re going to get on a daily basis.”

After speaking to many guests at Saturday’s event, Littlefield said the most common comment was that many had no idea the station was open on the weekend.

“Some people just don’t realize we’re a 24-hour service, so that is something people have learned. We are always here for people; that’s what we’re emphasizing at this event,” she said. “We also want the kids to see us in our firefighting outfits and know we’re not scary people, so in the event of a fire, these kids will know we’re there to help them and know not to be afraid of us.”

Saco resident Lorissa Wong attended the open house with her husband and two young children to educate her kids about fire safety.

“We’re here to learn about the vehicles, the fire department and what role they play in the community,” said Wong. “Our kids are going to learn how to walk out of the smoky room, which is a small building in the back lot of the fire department where children can learn how to escape a household fire.

“My youngest son Keegan loves firefighters. We’d like to come to this every year from now on.”

For more information on visiting the Central Fire Station, call 282-3244 or visit sacomaine.org/departments/fire/fire.shtml.