Fire Prevention Week Activities Set

Published Oct. 5, 2012
By Greg Chesser
90th Civil Engineer Squadron fire prevention chief

F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- F. E. Warren Fire Emergency Services will conduct a variety of events from Oct. 6 through Oct. 13, to spread the message "Have Two Ways Out!" this year's theme for Fire Prevention Week.

Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 conflagration which killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began Oct. 8, 1871, but continued into and did most of its damage Oct. 9. In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation, and since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which Oct. 9 falls. Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record.

F. E. Warren Fire Emergency Services will conduct a variety of events to spread the message. The events will kick off with a Fire Department Open House, in conjunction with Balfour Beatty's Fall Festival, along with activities during the week including vehicle displays, booths at Base Exchange and Commissary, visits to the child development center and Freedom Elementary School.

Oct. 6, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a fire department open house and fall festival at Building 324. Activities will include puppet shows, fire extinguisher training, smoke house maze, "put the fire out" house, mini firefighter combat challenge, bouncy house, fire truck displays, apple bobbing and a pumpkin patch. Lunch and snacks will be served, along with more than $1500 in door prizes from area restaurants and merchants, such as University of Wyoming Football tickets, Colorado State University Volleyball tickets, and a team-autographed Colorado Eagles jersey.

Fire Prevention Week activities:

6 Oct Open House 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
9 Oct Display at Base Exchange 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
10 Oct Visit Child Development Center 9 - 11 a.m.
Display at Commissary 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
11 Oct Display at Base Exchange 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
12 Oct Visit Freedom Elementary