Each day of the Whiteside County Fair will feature different area Fire Departments and EMS units from Whiteside County. They are members of an fine-tuned, support network called Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS), Division 30. Every other month, the following Illinois towns send their first responders to a collaborative meeting or training:
- Albany
- Cordova
- Erie
- Fulton
- Milledgeville-Coleta
- Morrison
- Prophetstown-Lyndon
- Rock Falls
- Sterling.
Sometimes fire and emergency service support crosses the Mississippi River, as Whiteside County Fire Departments assist Clinton, and Camanche, IA, departments.
Look for these daily informational programs during the fair. Several allow for public participation. In particular, on Wednesday, children can extinguish fires on a model of a burning building. On Friday, the Morrison Fire Department will need volunteers during several Grain Bin Rescues.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 14 (10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)–Morrison Community Hospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) An ambulance will be available to view, and handouts will be available. There will be a display featuring the future Hospital expansion.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15 (2:00 to 6:00 p.m.) Albany, Cordova, and Fulton Fire Departments–A truck will be available to view, and handouts will be available. There will be a display featuring a burning house; children may use hoses to extinguish the flames.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16 (2:00 to 6:00 p.m.) CGH Medical Center Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Rock Falls and Sterling Fire Departments–Presentations will feature fire prevention, including CO2 detectors and smoke alarms, and handouts will be available. For the third time, there will be a custom-built dollhouse that will be burned; visitors will watch how smoke and fire spread through a building.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17 (1:00 to 5:30 p.m.) Morrison Fire Department–Using the Stateline Farm Rescue simulator, Firemen will demonstrate grain bin rescues, about every 45 minutes throughout the afternoon. Volunteers from the public will be needed.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18 (noon to 5:00 p.m.) Erie, Prophetstown-Lyndon, and Tampico Fire Departments–Firemen will extricate a “victim” from a simulated automobile crash at 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00.
