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Fire Prevention Week at JBLM

JBLM Fire Department provides demos, information on fire safety

During Fire Protection Week at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, informational material and equipment will be at the two exchanges on base Oct. 9-13. Photo credit: Edward Chavez

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Joint Base Lewis-McChord Fire Department will be actively participating in the annual Fire Prevention Week activities Oct. 8-13. There will be static displays with JBLM fire vehicles, fire prevention smoke trailer and informational booths at both Lewis Main and McChord Field exchanges Oct. 9-12 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The booths will have fire safety information and provide on-the-spot fire prevention related answers to question. The department will visit local schools on the installations along with the Child Development Centers during the week.

Fire Prevention Week is the time of year firefighters show the local community all the tools and information the department provides, and how to best not have a late-night, emergency visit.

In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week be a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country. During Fire Prevention Week, children, adults, and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire and, better yet, to prevent a fire.

Firefighters provide life-saving public education in an effort to drastically decrease casualties caused by fires. Fire Prevention Week is observed each year in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began Oct. 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage.

This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 people homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.

The National Fire Prevention Association said today's home fires burn faster than ever. In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one or two minutes to escape safely from the time you hear the sound of the smoke alarm.

The JBLM Fire Prevention office encourages people to check smoke alarms monthly and change the batteries at least once a year. Have an escape plan that shows two ways out and include a safe location for everyone in the family to meet.

Practice, practice, practice.

Another tip the fire prevention office recommends is closing bedroom doors to limit damage from a fire. The JBLM Fire Prevention office instructs closing the doors during fire safety classes -- put as many barriers between you and the fire and smoke.

This year's theme is Look. Listen. Learn.

  • Look for a place a fire can start -- identify anything you think could start a fire, like an over loaded electrical cord, cooking left unattended etc.
  • Listen for the sound of the smoke alarm -- you and your family should become familiar with it and how to react to the sound. Never remove the power source to the alarm when it becomes annoying and beeps. It's your first line of defense.
  • Learn two ways out of every room -- all doors and windows should be free of clutter and be accessible. Ensure all family members know the location of the evacuation point and practice the evacuation.

When you have to use the plan your family have developed, ensure it states someone calls 911. The faster you report it, the faster the fire department can get to you.

For more information, call 253.966.7164, or visit the JBLM DPW's Fire and Emergency Services page on Facebook.

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