One family-friendly event to be held each month, with locations spread around county
The members of the Sarasota County Fire Department (SCFD) are looking forward to welcoming county residents for educational purposes and the enhancement of community connections by continuing their monthly fire station open houses in 2026, the department has announced.
“The free, family-friendly open houses are held one Saturday a month from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.,” offering visitors the opportunity to meet their firefighters, see fire apparatus, and learn about fire safety and prevention, hands-only CPR, the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and more, a news release notes.
Car seat safety inspections and bike helmet fittings also will be available at each event, the release notes.
“SCFD is proud to open its doors to the community, bringing the tradition of monthly open houses into neighborhoods since 2024,” the release points out.
The schedule for the 2026 open houses is as follows:
- Jan. 10 at Station 2, located at 2070 Waldemere St. in Sarasota.
- Feb. 28 at Station 10, located at 35 Vic Edwards Road in Sarasota.
- March 28 at Station 21, located at 721 Center Road in Venice.
- April 18 at Station 9, located at 6750 Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota.
- May 16 at Station 23, 1930 N. Tamiami Trail in Nokomis.
- June 13 at Station 6, located at 4100 Lockwood Ridge Road in Sarasota.
- July 18 at Station 19, located at 15911 Rawls Road in Sarasota.
- Aug. 22 at Station 8, located at 840 Apex Road in Sarasota.
- Sept. 19 at Station 22, located at 4531 Englewood Road in Venice.
- Oct. 10 at Station 5, located at 400 N. Beneva Road in Sarasota.
- Nov. 14 at Station 4, located at 3530 Old Bradenton Road in Sarasota.
- Dec. 12 at Station 17, located at 5431 Desoto Road in Sarasota.
“We love hosting open houses,” said Sarasota County Fire Chief David Rathbun in the release. “They allow us to meet our neighbors, share vital fire safety information, teach lifesaving skills like hands-only CPR and offer the opportunity to donate life-saving blood; all to make our community safer,” Rathbun added. “Thank you to everyone who has attended our open houses over the years,” he said in the release. “We look forward to continue these events at fire stations throughout our community.”
County residents will be able “to support SCFD’s life-saving whole blood program” by donating blood during the open houses, the release notes. “Whole blood donation takes around 15 minutes and can be completed every 56 days. Learn more about donor eligibility on the SunCoast Blood Centers website,” the release says
Those individuals who can donate blood also may do so by visiting the nearest SunCoast Blood Center donation location by looking up a blood drive on the SunCoast Blood Center website,” the release adds, or by calling 1-866-97-BLOOD.
For more information about the SCFD or the open houses, visit scgov.net/fire or call 311.