This is National “Fire Prevention Week.” In Atlantic, Harlan and elsewhere, fire department members served-up breakfast for a free-will donation for area residents and offered demonstrations of various sorts, yesterday (Sunday). John Bolton, Atlantic Fireman, said the fundraiser served to help bring the annual Fireman’s Parade to Atlantic. The parade takes place this coming Saturday, Oct. 11th. It starts at 6-p.m. Participants will line-up at 4-p.m. at 3rd & Olive Street, and will proceed South on Walnut to 6th street over to Chestnut and go North to 2nd Street.

This year’s theme is: “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives Test Yours Every Month.” Awards will be given for: Farthest Away Department, Most Members From 1 Department and many others. The parade, which wraps-up Fire Prevention Week, includes lots of family-oriented activities. Bolton says there will be a professional clown and face-painter, their will be bag-pipe players, and dancers.

During Fire Prevention Week, Firefighters will be in area schools , to talk about fire safety, and offer demonstrations of smoke detectors, so children will be aware of what they sound like when detectors go-off, and not be afraid. Bolton says they also put on their turn-out gear to show children they shouldn’t be afraid of firefighters, and let them know they’re there to help.

Bolton says kids are sometimes afraid of firefighters because with all their gear on, they look like “Aliens or robots.” He says to alleviate that fear, fire crews will appear in plain clothes, then put on their equipment piece-by-piece and demonstrate their microphones – how they communicate with each other – and then take the equipment off, to show once again…they are humans.

They also teach children how to deal with smoke in the home that may be from an unseen fire, and what they should do if they see smoke or flames, or if the detector goes off. Bolton says batteries on smoke detectors should be checked monthly, there should be a detector in the center of each room, and hallways.

Firefighters will also take kids for rides on a fire truck, and “Freddy the Fire Truck” will explain to children where they should be standing (in their yards), if they see a fire truck heading down the street, and that they shouldn’t go up to the scene.

The Iowa and Nebraska chapters of the American Red Cross are searching for heroes in the two states who will be recognized at the Iowa-Nebraska football game on November 28th in Iowa City. Kara Kelly, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross in Iowa, says there are plenty of heroes out there who deserve a little recognition and the deadline for nominations is next week.  “We’re looking for people who really go above and beyond or have done a life-saving act,” Kelly says. Last year, the two Red Cross chapters got more than 50 nominations from both states.

“This is the 4th year of the Hy-Vee Heroes game, it started with the first game between Nebraska and Iowa,” Kelly says. “So far, it’s been very successful and we’ve had the opportunity to meet and honor some really amazing people.” One hero from each state will be singled out for a presentation on the 50-yard line on game day. She says last year’s hero from Iowa was Mike Klemmensen.

“The 2013 hero was a young man from Hinton, Iowa, who is a firefighter with the 185th Fighter Wing (of the Iowa National Guard),” Kelly says. “He is really a phenomenal guy. He ran into his neighbor’s house, which was burning, and rescued all of the family members inside.” Last year’s Nebraska hero was Caleb Amundson of Fairbury. He helped save the life of a driver whose pontoon boat and truck landed in Harlan County Lake on Labor Day last year.

The deadline for entries is October 14th. Nominate someone online at www.hy-vee.com or at www.redcross.org.

(Radio Iowa)

A passenger in a pickup truck was injured Sunday evening, when the vehicle rolled over off of Interstate 29, in Mills County. The Iowa State Patrol says 36-year old Rebecca K. Hansen, of Logan, was transported by Glenwood Rescue to Creighton University Hospital in Omaha, following the crash that happened on northbound I-29 at around 6-p.m., Sunday. Hansen was wearing her seatbelt.

Officials say she was riding in the back seat of a 1997 Toyota SR-5 pickup that went out of control and entered the median before coming to rest on the driver’s side. A trailer being pulled by the pickup became detached during the crash and ended-up on its top.

The vehicle was driven by 17-year old Ethan E. Hansen, also of Logan, who was cited for failure to maintain control. Neither the driver nor two other passengers in the pickup were injured.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — First Lady Michelle Obama will appear in Des Moines Friday to campaign for Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Braley. A Braley campaign spokesman Jeff Giertz said yesterday that Obama and Braley will attend a rally at Drake University Friday afternoon. Braley, a four-term congressman from Waterloo, is locked a tight race against Republican Joni Ernst, a state lawmaker and officer in the Iowa National Guard from Red Oak.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is spending some of his overflowing campaign money on Illinois television, with the hope of carrying remote Lee County, one of two counties that have eluded the governor in his long career. The 67-year-old Republican seeking a sixth term acknowledges it is not a cost-effective move but hopes to highlight how the county’s economy has rebounded since his 2010 election.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa family is fighting the Des Moines school district’s refusal to enroll the Rwandan immigrant they are caring for because of questions about his immigration status. The district’s lawyer, Andrew Bracken, tells the Des Moines Register it appears that 16-year-old Habibu Moise Habienza’s legal residence remains with his family in Rwanda, so Des Moines won’t enroll him.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa county is suing a landowner to collect more than $1 million in unpaid taxes. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports Black Hawk County filed the lawsuit against J.L. Watts Company in August over $1.048 million in unpaid property taxes.