Air Force photo by Margo Wright

Under the watchful eye of Tinker Fire Department mascot Sparky, Tinker Elementary School 5th-graders practice staying low and crawling through smoke to the front door of “Sparky’s House”. The base housing home is now used to educate kids and adults on fire safety. (Air Force photo by Margo Wright)

Air Force photo by Margo Wright

Outside the Child Development Center East, children like Andrew Hobbs and Carson Cram gravitate to the large fire truck where Tinker firefighters wait to give kids the tour. Both on-base daycare facilities were visited as part of Fire Prevention Week activities Oct. 6-12. (Air Force photo by Margo Wright)

Tinker focuses on escape plans during Fire Prevention Week

Published Oct. 22, 2007
By Brandice J. Armstrong
Tinker Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE -- They now know how find their way out.
   Throughout National Fire Prevention Week Oct. 6-12, Tinker Elementary School students and Tinker Air Force Base personnel participated in fire safety activities centered on the theme of practicing an escape plan.
   "Most fires are started by 3-year-olds," said Earnest Baxter, Tinker fire inspector. "So pre-K to third grade is our target audience and if we can show what happens and can change one child and teach him what to do when there's a house fire, then we've done our job."
   To better illustrate the lesson, Tinker Fire Department officials invited several Tinker Elementary School classes to Sparky's House, a condemned house in base housing, named for the beloved Tinker Fire Department mascot. Third-, fourth- and fifth-graders toured the 1,100 square-foot ranch at 5357 Chidlaw Ave., participated in safety exercises, asked questions and watched videos. At the conclusion of the hour-long hands-on presentation, fire department officials smoked the house with a smoke machine used for drills and practiced exiting procedures with the children.
   Eleven-year-old Timothy Wilsey, son of Master Sgt. Michael Wilsey of the 552nd Maintenance Operations Squadron, was among those who toured Sparky's House Oct. 9.
   "It's pretty cool to learn how a fire acts and see what it does," said Timothy, who also said he knows what to do if a fire should occur at his house and knows his escape plan. "When a fire comes it wipes everything out."
   Children, including Timothy, learned it takes only 29 seconds for a Christmas tree fire to destroy the room it's in, and 46 seconds for a living room with no apparent fire starter to be destroyed. After the presentation at Sparky's House, children were encouraged to devise at least two escape plans with their families.
   "They were very attentive, taking it all in," said Scott Bloxham, assistant Tinker fire chief.
   Tinker Fire Department officials hosted several other activities such as trips to the child development centers and the youth center with Sparky. They also went to Bldg. 3001 and the Base Exchange to distribute handouts. Fire officials also hosted building evacuation drills, a chili cook-off and retreat ceremony.