What's the first thing you should do in the event of a fire? The New York City Fire Museum wants to teach you.
By collecting and preserving the history of the city's fire service, the museum aims to educate the public — especially children — on fire prevention and safety.
The building alone is part of history, as it's a renovated firehouse from 1904.
Walking through the museum, visitors are able to go over 10 exhibits, such as the 9/11 Memorial, tools and uniforms used on the job, and the fire-fighting apparatus.
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The museum also has a temporary exhibit, which runs through August, that honors first responders for working throughout the pandemic. (Just to get an idea of the amount of calls 911 received, there were 6,527 calls placed in one day during the height of the pandemic — the highest ever.)
Fire Safety Tours are the second part of learning at the museum, which teaches participants about fire hazards in the home and how to prevent fires.
As students learn about how to keep themselves safe in a fire, the mock apartment is being filled with a smoke machine. Students then have to crawl their way through the smoke to get out safely on the other side.
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Harriet Duren, retired firefighter and the fire safety director at the museum, said that in the event of a fire, she wants everyone to know one thing: "I always tell them not to hide. Get out. And once you get out, don't go back in."
News 4 also spoke to a retired firefighter that visits the museum every year. We asked him about the fires he's seen during his years of service.
"As far as fire, and the amount of damage it does, that hits you. But what really hits you is the effect it has on people. To see a family, lose their home. When you see children lose their homes, and they might not have the option of living somewhere else," said Keith O'Mara.
When the tour is over, participants also receive an FDNY Activity book that teaches what to do if a fire occurs, dangers/fire hazards in the home and how to be prepared.
The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For tickets and more information, visit the NYC Fire Museum website.
