Open house kicks off Fire Prevention Week

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Charles Dickens
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Fire Prevention Week kicked off Oct. 6 with a parade and open house hosted by the 14th Civil Engineering Squadron at the Columbus Air Force Base fire department.

The 2012 Fire Prevention Week is spearheaded by the National Fire Protection Association and is themed "Have 2 Ways Out".

"'Have 2 Ways Out' means to be looking for multiple ways out of a house and to be more self-aware," said Scott Romero, 14th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Inspector. "If something happens, what are you going to do?"

The Columbus AFB fire department hosted multiple stations for children and adults to visit. Visitors learn more about fire safety and firefighters in general and to get hands-on experience with tools and techniques that could save their lives. These stations included fire detectors available to test, a demonstration of vehicle extrication, a trailer designed to simulate a house fire and many more.

"Fire is not in a lot of people's minds," said Romero. "A child could hear a fire alarm before and not register what the noise is, but now they've gotten training from us and they know the sound means there is a fire."

During the vehicle extrication demonstration the 14th CES showed the power of hydraulic rescue tools like the Jaws of Life. The firefighters removed a simulated injured person from a car accident by prying the doors off of the vehicle and cutting the roof off, not allowing the person to move at all during the process.

The children also participated in a hands-on simulation of what happens during a house fire. A trailer is filled with faux smoke and they learn how to quickly and intelligently react.

"Our fire prevention trailer shows children what to do if smoke is in their house," said Romero. "They learn how to think outside of the box. If a door is hot or if there's smoke coming from the door, they learn that maybe they need to come out of the window."

"Little things like these stations, as fun as they are, are using actual techniques," said Romero. "The children are having fun with them but they're learning what to do as well."