The Forsyth County Fire Department is once again opening its doors to the community.

Forsyth County Fire Department Station 1, 234 Castleberry Industrial Drive, will be open to the public for an open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday.

This is the second open house this year, after the department held a similar event at Station 3 in north Forsyth in early June.

Division Chief Jason Shivers said that the event is a chance for the community to get acquainted with fire fighters and fire safety.

“They get to have a personal tour of the fire station, get an up close and personal look at the apparatus and equipment in the station and have the firefighters readily available to answer questions and answer really any curiosities that someone may have of the fire service and the Forsyth County Fire Department and how we serve the public,” Shivers said.

In addition to having firefighting equipment on the scene, the county’s mobile fire safety house will be at the station. The safety house recreates rooms in a house and fills it with simulated smoke to teach children fire safety techniques.

“The fire safety house will be on the scene, but that is most beneficial for children,” Shivers said. “Families as a whole will be able to go on a tour of the fire safety house and learn about fire safety in the home, proper smoke detector maintenance and use, what to do when smoke is found in the home, how to properly notify 911, the entire spectrum of what we would consider a good home fire safety plan.”

Though the department will be teaching safety, Shivers said that isn’t necessarily the goal of the open house.

Shivers said that establishing a connection with the community is crucial, as many never see firefighters unless they’re in an emergency situation.