Columbus AFB goes all out for Fire Prevention Week

Photo By Senior Airman Beaux Hebert | William O’Meara, Assistant Chief of Health and Safety for fire and emergency services, narrates a simulated aircraft crash Sept. 30, 2017, on Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. A P-19 Stryker firetruck was used to extinguish the burning wreckage. The P-19 holds 1,500 gallons of water, 500 gallons of foam and has a top speed of 72 miles per hour. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Beaux Hebert)  

COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, MISSISSIPPI, UNITED STATES

10.05.2017

Story by Airman 1st Class Beaux Hebert 

14th Flying Training Wing

The Columbus Air Force Base Fire Department values the safety of its Airmen and their families, and during Fire Prevention Week Sept. 25-30, they organized 11 events to educate the base and local community on fire prevention and safety.
“Our goal for Fire Prevention Week was to educate everyone about fire prevention,” said William O’Meara, Assistant Chief of Health and Safety for fire and emergency services. “We put on several activities that were designed to be fun and teach everyone prevention is key when it comes to fires.”
The theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week was “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!” The Columbus AFB Fire Department educated about 7,000 people on how to develop a family escape plan and prevent fires from happening by not throwing combustible materials in the same trash can, such as a battery and steel wool.
“As a firefighter, it’s my job to help educate people on fire hazards in their home,” said Airman Justin Weeter, 14th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter.
The fire department visited Caledonia Elementary and taught pre-K through third grade children about fire drills and evacuation plans.
One of the many events the fire department organized was fire extinguisher training at the Base Exchange and at the Hunt Housing Community Center. The purpose of the training was to ensure employees know how to properly use an extinguisher. They were taught the acronym PASS; pull the pin, aim the nozzle, squeeze the handle and sweep side to side.
The fire department also tailored their safety training to families and young children. They hung bags with safety messages throughout base housing, hosted a s’mores roast with an informational movie on fire prevention, and hosted a parade through base housing followed by an open house with live demonstrations.
“We tried to make the activities fun and engaging for the children,” O’Meara said.
The open house was the biggest event and allowed the fire department to share multiple messages simultaneously across varied ages.
The 14th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Protection Airmen used multiple power tools to cut open a vehicle that had been in a simulated car crash. While all the viewers were fascinated with the destruction of the car, the message was that texting while driving was not worth the risk.
The last event to wrap up Fire Prevention Week was the aircraft crash simulator. Airmen and their families gathered on the outskirts of the flightline to watch a structure, simulating an aircraft crash, engulfed with flames be extinguished by Airmen. The heat was so intense some of the crowd covered their faces, and just when the heat was becoming overbearing, the fire department’s P-19 Stryker came speeding in to put out the massive fire.
O’Meara said the fire department went all out for Fire Prevention Week, and will continue to educate the base and local areas throughout the year to ensure that Columbus AFB stays safe.

• Date Taken: 10.05.2017
• Date Posted: 10.05.2017 16:41
• Story ID: 250762
• Location: COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, MISSISSIPPI, US