TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --
Children and the community were two main focuses for the Tinker Fire Department during Fire Prevention Week October 6-12, 2024.
Fire Prevention Week takes place each year during the week of Oct. 9th in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association to commemorate the “Great Chicago Fire” of 1871. The week of observance is also used to educate communities on the importance of fire safety.
This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign focused on smoke alarms, striving to educate everyone about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home.
Tinker Fire helped spread the word by visiting various local schools and public places including Tinker Elementary School, Tinker Child Development Centers, St. Philip Neri Catholic School and Tinker Base Exchange.
“Fire safely is important, knowing a little bit will go a long way,” said Jerol Williams, inspector at the Tinker Fire Department. “When children see a firefighter, whether they are lost or in need of emergency services, we want them to know that we are a safe haven for them to come to and we are here for them.”
During each visit children were able to take a look inside a fire truck, use a fire hose, talk to firefighters and learn fire prevention methods such as ‘stop, drop and roll.’
‘Sparky the Fire Dog’ joined in on the action. Fire officials say the department mascot is a huge hit with children.
“When they see Sparky, they get excited and hug on him,” said Williams. “The learning part, some of the kids just love it, others really like Sparky. This is a great event, and we really enjoy doing it. If I could just plant one seed in every one of these kids, that makes a difference.”
The City of Midwest City Fire Department assisted Tinker Fire with Fire Prevention Week activities. Partnership with first responders off base is very important.
“These people in our communities work at Tinker Air Force Base, Tinker is a huge complex and it employs a lot of people,” said Williams. “Anytime we can assist them and work with them to spread education about fire safety, that is very important to us.”
Fire officials nationwide encourage everyone to keep the following smoke alarm safety tips and guidelines in mind.
Install- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area (like a hallway), and on each level (including the basement) of the home.
Test- Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button and change your batteries at least annually.
Replace- Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or stop responding when tested.
To learn more about Fire Prevention Week or fire and home safety, visit https://www.nfpa.org/fpw.