Photo By Scott Sturkol | Firefighters conduct a building fire drill Oct. 10, 2023, during National Fire...... read more read more
Subscribe
The Fort McCoy Directorate of Emergency Services Fire Department completed several efforts to support the 2023 National Fire Prevention Week/Month campaign at the installation.
Fort McCoy Fire Inspector Curt Ladwig with the fire department said the department conducted fire drills at buildings throughout the installation, checked on fire systems and dozens of buildings, had firefighters interacting with children at the Fort McCoy Child Development Center, and more.
“Fire Prevention Week was held Oct. 8 to 14, and this year’s theme was ‘Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention,’” Ladwig said.
The National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, announced in a press release why they went with cooking safety as a theme for 2023.
“This year’s focus on cooking safety works to educate the public about simple but important steps they can take to help reduce the risk of fire when cooking at home, keeping themselves and those around them safe,” the release states.
“According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires, with nearly half (49 percent) of all home fires involving cooking equipment. Cooking is also the leading cause of home fire injuries. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires and related deaths. In addition, NFPA data shows that cooking is the only major cause of fire that resulted in more fires and fire deaths in 2014-2018 than in 1980-1984.”
“These numbers tell us that more public awareness is needed around when and where cooking hazards exist, along with ways to prevent them,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of the outreach and advocacy at NFPA said in the release. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign will work to promote tips, guidelines, and recommendations that can help significantly reduce the risk of having a cooking fire.”
At Fort McCoy, Ladwig further spread the message about fire prevention at the October session of the Fort McCoy Safety and Occupational Health Advisory Council on Oct. 10. There Ladwig said “fire can happen when least expected, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”
Ladwig also shared some fire safety tips.
“According to the NFPA, a fire department responds to a fire in the united states every 23 seconds, so it’s important to be prepared,” Ladwig said.
Among those ways to be prepared include to have a fire-evacuation plan. For that, people should, according to the NFPA:
— ensure everyone agrees on the plan.
— communicate your plan/
— set goals/
— rehearse procedure/
— observe and reflect.
Ladwig also shared the 10 dos and don’ts of fire safety during his presentation at the meeting.
DO
— Install and check smoke detectors.
— Have and know how to use a fire extinguisher.
— Keep doors and hallways clear.
— Have an escape plan.
— Give space heaters space.
DON'T
— Leave open flames unattended (candles, grills, etc.).
— Have too many plugs in one outlet.
— Heat your home with your oven.
— Hang items from sprinkler heads.
— Prop open fire doors.
Fire prevention messaging was also shown throughout the post through October at the Main Gate and at Gate 20 from the fire department. Plus, throughout the year, Ladwig said the department works with directorates and the workforce to ensure fire safety is commonplace for everyone to be aware of its dangers and to be ready in case of a fire.
On Nov. 5, the “fall back” time change will also take place nationwide. Ladwig noted that is also good time to check batteries in smoke detectors at home.
However anyone looks at National Fire Prevention Week and National Fire Prevention Month, it’s an important time for everyone to take time to protect themselves against the risk of fire, Ladwig said.
The history of the observance itself, according to the National Fire Protection Association and www.daysoftheyear.com, memorializes the Great Chicago Fire ؙ— a fire that desolated the city of Chicago and left over 100,000 homeless in October 1871.
Learn more about fire prevention by visiting the NFPA website at https://www.nfpa.org.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”
Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base. Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”
(Claudia Neve, Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office, contributed to this article.)
| Date Taken: | 10.19.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.19.2023 17:18 |
| Story ID: | 456167 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 634 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fort McCoy observes 2023 National Fire Prevention Week, Month with several efforts, by Scott Sturkol, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
