The Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department will hold its annual open house this weekend, with a special focus on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, a memorial bell will be set up outside the Grantsville Fire Station at 26 N. Center Street. Residents and attendees will be able to read the name of one of the 2,973 victims of the 9/11 attacks and ring the bell to honor those who died.
Grantsville City Fire Capt. Neil Critchlow said the memorial bell had previously been used at first and tenth anniversaries of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
“We did this on the first anniversary … and nearly every one of those names got picked and the bell rang for them,” Critchlow said.
The memorial bell and names of the victims will also be placed at the fire station on Sunday to allow residents to read a name and ring the bell throughout the day, according to Critchlow.
“I wish everybody could remember and never forget this,” he said. “It’s so etched in my mind.”
In addition to the Sept. 11 memorial activity, the open house will include stations set up by local first responders and businesses beginning at noon. Morton Salt will host a station on affected or drunk driving, where participants can wear drunk goggles and try to play a Nintendo Wii driving video game to illustrate the impact of impairment.
“We’ll be able to help them understand distracted driving,” Critchlow said.
Local EMTs will have a station where people can have their blood pressure checked. There will also be a location where attendees of all ages can learn how to spray fire hoses.
AirMed is scheduled to land a medical helicopter, which can be toured by open house attendees. Critchlow said he’s unsure when the helicopter will arrive at the open house due to its uncertain schedule and the possibility it could be called out for an emergency.
Events at the fire station are slated to end by 8 p.m. Saturday.