Fire Prevention Week: 9th CES educates Recce Town on fire safety

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Morgan Brown
  • 9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- The 9th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department teamed up with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to promote Fire Prevention Week here, October 5 to 12, 2018.

The campaign this year is “Look. Listen. Learn. Be Aware. Fire can happen anywhere.” It was designed to educate the public about basic, yet essential ways to quickly and safely escape a home fire by highlighting three steps:

-Look for places a fire could easily start,

-Listen for the sound of a smoke detector,

-Learn two ways out of every room.

“Through public education, which is a part of prevention and protection of our community, we are passing this message to them and are able to keep the community safe,” said Carey D. Waddell, 9th CES assistant fire chief.

NFPA statistics show the number of U.S. home fires has been regularly declining since 1980, but the death rate per 1,000 home fires was 10 percent higher in 2016 than in 1980. To prevent this, it is important to have safety plans in place.

“A home escape plan should include various ways to exit the house, such as a window ladder in cases where there is a second floor,” Waddell said. “This plan should be practiced every time you reset your clock. Just a quick fire drill and making sure you know where the meeting point is located.”

The fire department held events throughout the week at the Base Exchange, Commissary, Lone Tree Elementary School, and Base Housing area.