STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Free smoke detectors and burgers will be handed out at the Blaine County Fire Expo on Saturday, June 16.

Local firefighters will stage their annual Fire Appreciation Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at Festival Meadows on Sun Valley Road.

The family-friendly event will include an opportunity for youngsters to don fire hats and coats and challenge themselves to the Junior Firefighter Obstacle Course for prizes and bragging rights—and plenty of photo ops for Mom’s Facebook fans.

Firefighters will offer demonstrations showing how they extricate people from cars and rescue people involved in a burning building.  They will also offer tours of fire engines, ambulances and helicopters.

Local Girls Scouts and the American Red Cross will distribute free smoke detectors.

The Ketchum Fire Department was established in 1883 and is staffed by career, paid on-call and volunteer firefighters. Ketchum firefighters often work hand in hand with the Sun Valley Fire Department to provide technical rescue in the backcountry.