Serious fun at EmergencyFest Saturday

"Prevent, prepare and play" is the slogan for the 8th annual EmergencyFest, to be held on the campus of Appalachian State University this Saturday.

This free event will be held in the Raley parking lot off of Rivers Street downtown from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

More than 30 law enforcement, fire and EMS agencies will be at the event, doing demonstrations and meeting with the public. A few of the demonstrations include the Wilkes County Bomb Squad and emergency personnel showing the public how they cut into a vehicle after an accident.

Participants are also invited to learn cooking fire safety and fire extinguisher operation. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and fire deaths in the United States.

This event is sponsored by the Watauga County Firefighters Association and is geared toward educating families and children about preventing and preparing for emergency situations in the home.

Unlike a real emergency, this is fun and games - educatation. Children will be able to point a fire hose at a target to try to knock them over with water. Free face-painting will be held all day, and kids can meet Smokey the Bear, Sparky the Dog, Andy the Ambulance, Freddy the Firetruck and Floyd the Firefighter.

For the adults, firefighters, police and EMS are there to answer home safety questions and offer prevention advice.

Firefighter association member Jim Landis stressed the importance of young children meeting rescue personnel.

"Young children, especially pre-school age, can be afraid of firefighters in full gear and will hide inside a fire," Landis said. "This event teaches children that firefighters, officers and EMS are your friends and are there to help."

This year's EmergencyFest will feature a scavenger hunt. Cut out the list of questions beside this article and visit the booths to answer the questions. Turn in the completed form to claim a door prize at the Beaver Dam Volunteer Fire Department table.

Concessions will available all day.