Fire prevention week continues at McChord

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kirsten Wicker
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Fire Prevention Week continues through Oct. 10 and McChord families are encouraged to review their role in preventing fires and knowing what actions to take if one occurs.

"Every family member must understand his or her role in fire safety," said Chief Sandra Cooper, 62nd Civil Engineer Squadron and assistant chief, fire prevention.

The President proclaimed Sunday to Oct. 11 as National Fire Prevention Week. Sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association, this year's theme is "Stay Fire Smart, Don't Get Burned".

"Greater emphasis must be placed on teaching people how to react during a crisis," said Cooper. "I ask everyone's assistance in aggressively promoting fire safety across our community."

Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The devastation killed 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,000 structures and destroyed more than 2,000 acres.

In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation, and since 1922 the week has been observed the second week of October. Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record.

Closer to home, the leading cause of home fires at McChord - as well throughout the country - is unattended cooking.

"If you're going to cook dinner, cook dinner," said Chief John Harris, 62nd CES and McChord's deputy fire chief. "If you're going to work on the computer, then do that. Cooking fires are our main problem - people begin cooking and then get side-tracked and they leave their cooking unattended."

Along with the threat of home fires, statistics point out that only 23 percent of all households have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan.

To highlight the importance of fire prevention at McChord, the 62nd CES fire and emergency services flight has planned a number of educational opportunities to reinforce the message of fire prevention and home safety throughout Fire Prevention Week:

· Sparky and the fire engines will hold public assemblies at Carter Lake Elementary School at 1 p.m. Wednesday and Oct. 14.
· Spark and the fire engines will visit the Child Development Center at 1 p.m. Thursday.
· The McChord Fire Department Open House is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday in building six.
· Sparky will visit the School Age Program at 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Oct. 15 in building 560.
· The McChord Fire Department will support "Lights On" after-school program at 3 p.m. Oct. 22 in building 560.
· Information and displays are available from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 24 in the Youth Center.