• Article Photo. VFD firefighter Luke Garwood visited the Tiny Vikes classroom of Mrs. Lutz Tuesday morning.
    VFD firefighter Luke Garwood visited the Tiny Vikes classroom of Mrs. Lutz Tuesday morning.

This is one of the weeks that young children most look forward to -- the chance to meet firefighters and even ride around town on a fire truck. 

Fire Prevention Week is under way, and the Vinton Fire Department will be busy visiting classrooms, offering tours of the fire station and helping students and their teachers board the fire engines for those beloved rides.

The VFD is also planning two community events they hope Vinton residents will join in participating. At 7 p.m. on Thursday, Operation E.D.I.T.H (Exit Drills In the Home) will take place. Firefighters will drive through Vinton, where they hope to see many families outside in their safe meeting places, with their porch lights on to signal to the firefighters that they have planned ahead and know where to gather their family outside in case of fire.

Then on Sunday, from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m, is the annual Fire Prevention Week breakfast at the fire station. Hundreds of local residents have made this tradition and annual community event and fund-raising success.