To celebrate, the firefighters and EMS workers opened their fire hall’s doors to the community on Saturday. Event attendees packed into the Lakewood Fire Hall’s bays and were treated to grilled food, water, cake and free giveaways — such as pencils, coloring books, badges and firefighter hats.

The centerpiece of the event revolved around — at least for the children — a rather large, firefighter-themed truck/bounce house and several demonstrations of the variety of firefighting apparatuses and equipment in service.

State Assemblyman Andy Goodell, R-Jamestown, drew historical comparisons during his speech from when the Lakewood Volunteet Fire Department was first created and what the state of technology was back then.

“Just think, back then there were no phones; the lightbulb had just been invented,” he said. “There were no cars or automobiles. … When the firefighters were called to fight a fire, it was with a horse-drawn trailer, and they had to pump the water by hand.”

Firefighters from the Lakewood Fire Department conduct a live-action car crash extraction demonstration, using tools such as the “Jaws of Life” during the department’s 130 year birthday celebration community open house event Saturday.

County Executive PJ Wendel is an EMT for Lakewood. Wendel gave a play-by-play as to the use of several of the department’s modern equipment, including live-action demonstrations using the “Jaws of Life” to extract a person from a car crash.

Wendel joined the department in 1989. He said he has seen an increase in the demand for services and support of his fellow firefighters and the training and modernization of all of Chautauqua County’s firefighting companies and departments.

“In 1989, the call volume was 400 a year,” Wendel said. “Now, going 34 or 35 years later, it has increased to over 1,100 calls a year. The average is about three calls a day, and some days we don’t have any calls. So do the math.

“We’ve come a long way. Back then you just stood there and watched your house burn. Now we have modern equipment, and our firefighters receive state-of-the-art training. The way we train, as mutual aid departments, really protects all the citizens of Chautauqua County, something I’m proud of — not only as a firefighter, but as the county executive as well.”

At least one person attending Saturday’s open house said he was impressed with the department’s offerings.

“This event is amazing,” said Tyler Anderson, a resident of Lakewood. “We have a world-class volunteer fire department; they’re extremely connected and involved in our city and we’re very proud of all of them.”