This coming week is the start of National Fire Prevention Week but one Shelby County Fire Department is kicking it off this Saturday. The theme this year is preventing kitchen fires. The Harlan Fire Department has teamed up with the American Red Cross to help spread the word about fire prevention week. Harlan Fire Chief Roger Bissen says the department is getting a little help from the boy scouts to hand out fire prevention materials.

“The Red Cross is providing the materials and we are working with the boy scouts. The boy scouts do the leg work and will go to each house in Harlan and dropping off the materials at your doorstep. It will come in a little bag that says Red Cross. Inside there will be different fire safety literature and I will provide a cover letter. If you want to make some changes in your home after reading the material, now is the time to do it.”

Bissen says the project with the Red Cross benefits everyone including the citizens. “We’re sending out the safety message out to our community and you know our goal as the fire department is to prevent fires. It’s also a good project for the Red Cross because they are involved with the safety and well being of our citizens. And it works really well for the boy scouts because they are always trying to reach goals to get awards and achievements. They also get involved in the community. It is really a good community event for everybody.”

The chief says next week the department will be at the Harlan Community schools. “Each we head to the schools and give tours at the fire station. We have three to four groups come to the station. We will also send trucks to the elementary schools. We will be there quite a few days from Monday through Thursday.”

This is also the time of year to be checking your smoke detectors to make sure they are working properly. The Harlan Fire Department received a grant for about 200 smoke detectors and if you are unable to purchase a new one or do not have any inside your residence, contact the Harlan Fire Department at 712-755-5354. If you would like to talk with one of the 34 members of the department, the Harlan Fire Department will host an open house and breakfast on Sunday morning. The fire hall will open at 7am and serve biscuits and gravy, eggs, pancakes, bacon and a drink for a free will donation until noon.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)