Firefighters Paint the Park Pink, Ready for Saturday Open House

The Manassas Park Fire and Rescue Department is planning to welcome the entire community into its home Saturday as part of the agency's annual open house.  

The event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and marks the beginning of Fire Prevention Week, Manassas Park Fire Chief Todd Lupton said.

 If the firefighters and medics themselves aren't enough fun, then enjoy the moon bounce, visit with Sparky, the fire dog, climb on the apparatus, get a fire (temporary) tattoo or try on real fire gear.

In addition to the open house, local firefighters and medics are showing their support for breast cancer survivors and breast cancer awareness through their Pinkin' the Park campaign this month.

Personnel are wearing pink,Firefighters For A Cure shirts and have pink medical gloves to wear on EMS calls.

Lupton said the shirts have received such positive feedback that additional ones were purchased to sell to family and friends of the Manassas Park Fire and Rescue Department. For each shirt sold, the shirt company donates one dollar to the Susan G. Komen For a Cure Foundation.  

Manassas Park Firefighters are selling the shirts to raise an additional $4 per shirt for the cause, the chief said.

Several medics and firefighters are sporting firefighter breast cancer pins, designed in the shape of a pink ribbon with a fire nozzle on the end. The pins were purchased from the Firefighter Cancer Foundation.

The Manassas Park Fire Department is located at 9080 Manassas Drive. For more information call 703 335 8845 or "like" the department's recently launched Facebook page. The page is used to publish safety messages, public announcements and emergency management information, Lupton said.