Snohomish County Fire District 7 invites residents to kick off Fire Prevention Week at its Annual Open House.

The 24th annual Open House is from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 3 at Fire District 7 Headquarters, 8010 180th St. S.E., Snohomish. This free event includes auto extrication demonstrations, puppet shows, tours of the fire safety trailer, fire engine tours and other activities. Visitors will also get a chance to meet Topper, the Snohomish County Arson Dog.

Each year, The National Fire Protection Association identifies a theme to support Fire Prevention Week activities. The 2010 thme is “Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with.” Fire District 7 offers the following tips for making sure smoke alarms are maintained and working properly:

• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in your home knows their sound.

• If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.

• Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they’re 10 years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.

• Never remove or disable a smoke alarm.