One Day Only: Friendship Firehouse Opens Oct. 10 for Fire Prevention Week
ALEXANDRIA, VA – October 4-10 is Fire Prevention Week. To promote fire safety, the Friendship Firehouse Museum will open Saturday, Oct. 10 for that day only. The museum, as with all others operated by the city, will allow 25 percent capacity. Visiting hours will be 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The firehouse, built in 1855, is located at 107 South Alfred Street. An important part of Alexandria’s history, the firemen once stationed there battled fires in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when most of the city’s buildings and homes were made of wood and fire was a frequent danger.
The museum has equipment on display from that period and others, including buckets and axes. Visitors will even find the suction engine used in the mid 1800s. It is decorated with the Friendship Fire Company’s clasped-hands insignia.
Safety Measures
To protect the health of all staff and visitors, the City of Alexandria asks visitors to:
- Wash hands upon arrival (in museum restrooms or at hand-sanitizing station at the entrance)
- Wear a face covering while visiting as required by the Commonwealth of Virginia (exceptions include children under 10 and people with health conditions that do not allow them to wear face coverings)
- Follow one-way traffic patterns through the museum and maintain physical distancing
- Limit group sizes to less than ten people
- Please do not touch exhibits or displays
Health Department Safety Standards
The museum will operate under recommendations from the Alexandria Health Department. They are not limited to but include the following::
- Requiring all staff wearing face coverings in the building
- Enhanced daily cleaning, including disinfecting high-touch surfaces throughout the day
- Providing hand sanitizer and tissues throughout the museum
- Restricting admission to timed entry to ensure physical distancing
- Installing plexiglass sneeze guards at shop counters
Fire Prevention Week
Since 1922, the National Fire Prevention Association has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country. The purpose is to educate people about the danger of fires and save lives.
Where to Find Tickets
Tickets are available for advance purchase HERE. The cost is $2 per person. Purchasing a ticket gives visitors the opportunity to select a time slot. Have a Key to the City? Bring it along to gain admittance.
Reasonable Accommodations
Need a reasonable accommodation related to a disability. contact [email protected] or 703.746.4994, Virginia Relay 711.
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