Published: October 02, 2008 11:54 am            

Police, fire officials to demonstrate skills this weekend

Area residents are invited to spend the weekend with members of the Effingham Police Department and Effingham Fire Department.

The weekend will kick off Saturday morning with ILEAS/

MABAS Day. A display of Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) equipment will be shown from 9 to 11 a.m. at Village Square Mall, Effingham.

Members of the Effingham Police Department and ILEAS Swat Team will be on hand to demonstrate equipment, as well as a K-9 unit team.

The Effingham Fire Department also will be on scene with equipment from the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), which allows area fire departments to share personnel and equipment during emergencies.

Fire Chief Joe Holomy said some of the equipment on display will be a Hazmat (hazardous materials) response trailer and training trailer, two mass casualty trailers, a light generator and a decontamination shower trailer. The equipment was purchased with federal Homeland Security funds.

The Fire Department will have an especially busy weekend as it kicks off National Fire Prevention Week Sunday with an open house at Central Fire Station at 505 W. Fayette from 1 to 5 p.m.

The open house will feature tours of the station, an Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter, a fire extinguisher demonstration, an Effingham city dispatchers demonstration, a State Fire Marshall arson dog demonstration and many other activities.

Children also will enjoy kids games, a junior firefighter challenge, kids raffle and a coloring contest.

Angie Faller can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or angie.faller@effinghamdailynews.com.