HALLOWELL — The big red doors of the Hallowell Fire Department will open at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, for its fall open house at 124 Second St.

Cider and treats will be provided. Department volunteers will fire up the grill later in the morning to cook up some more substantial fare, according to a news release from Bob McIntire of the Hallowell All Age-Friendly Committee.

The open house will include building tours, complimentary refreshments, and a chance to ogle the engines. The event also will provide money-saving, if not lifesaving information on protecting your money, your body, or house and property. The event also is an opportunity to learn about being a member of the department.

The following workshops will be presented: Fire Prevention at 10:15 a.m., with a talk by Fire Chief Jim Owens; Police Chief Eric Nason will talk about fraud protection at 11 a.m.; and Owens will return at 11:45 a.m. to discuss preventing injury from falls, a critical topic as winter approaches.

October is Fire Prevention Month, making it a good time to replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Owens will offer many more tips on staying safe as heating systems get turned on for the season.

Police Chief Nason will share strategies to avoid being conned by scammers and other fraudulent operatives. The most common fraud scams in Maine as reported to the Federal Trade Commission fall into three categories, identity theft, banking and lending practices and tech support scams. Identity theft is when someone steals personal information that could be used to falsely apply for credit or for government benefits. Phony or deceptive banking and lending practices such as predatory mortgage lenders with offers “too-good-to-be-true!” Then there are tech support scams, those targeted will receive an email or phone call from someone claiming to be from a computer program company saying there is a problem with the computer. The victim may be asked to allow the con to take remote control of the computer. Then the scammer installs a virus. If you are contacted, hang up the phone or delete the email.

Like it or not, winter is just around the corner with increased opportunities for injuries from slips and falls. Owens will share practical safety tips. There also will be an opportunity to sign up for the Sand Bucket Brigade, a free five-gallon bucket of sand delivered by fire department volunteers.

Both Fire Chief Owens and Police Chief Nason will be available throughout the morning providing information about these important topics.

For more information, call Owens at 754-2518.

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