With the Keweenaw Bay community several miles from Baraga, Chief Diane Morin said she is trying to build a rapport with the community so they can help each other. About 30 to 40 people had attended in the first hour, she said.

“I wanted the community to know what some of our problems are, some of our needs, and what some of their needs are, and to reassure them that we are here to protect them, that we do have mutual aid, since we only have the one truck working right now,” she said.

The most pressing need is more volunteers. Right now, the department only has seven people, Morin said.

“If people leave here, we get down to one or two, we can’t keep this place open,” she said. “Then the insurance goes way up, and it takes longer for people to get to their homes and trucks.”

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Jaxon Picard, 3, of Keweenaw Bay knocks over a jug with water from a hire house as Jacob Picard looks on at a Keweenaw Bay Fire Department open house Saturday.

Morin is also trying to find out which area residents have ponds on their property in order to install dry hydrants. That would save firefighters time by not having to go to the lake for water.

The department has done several other outreach efforts. It’s held Halloween and Christmas activities, and held its first Easter egg hunt this year. The department is also looking to build playgrounds at the fire hall and in Arnheim.

“I feel the kids are our future,” Morin said. “Maybe they’ll grow up with a lot of memories of this place and want to join when they get older.”

In addition to fire extinguisher training, people could try to knock plastic jugs over with a water house.

Baraga County Sheriff’s Department representatives were on hand to answer questions, and Upper Peninsula Power Co. representatives talked to residents about the dangers of downed power lines.

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Marcia Slater, safety officer for the Keweenaw Bay Fire Department, hands Kerry Duis of Keweenaw Bay a snow cone during Saturday’s open house at the fire hall.

Kerry Duis, who lives across the street from the fire hall, thought the event was a good way to learn about the fire department and how she can help.

“It’s great to know that it’s really new and nice, and it’s got the latest technology,” she said.

McKenna Niemela of Keweenaw Bay came with her husband and children. Her husband is looking to get involved with the department. They also thought it’d be good for the children to come and see how the fire equipment works.

“That’s probably my favorite part about it,” she said. “Because then the kids grow up and maybe they can be a part of it too.”